Eight Arrested for Beating 21-Year-Old Over Internet Fraud

The Bono Regional Police Command has arrested eight men for allegedly assaulting a 21-year-old man as part of an initiation into an internet fraud syndicate at Kotokrom, a suburb of the Sunyani West Municipality.

The suspects, aged between 18 and 30, were arrested on October 4, 2026, after a police patrol team responded to a distress call reporting that a group of people were attacking a man at Kotokrom.

The victim, identified as Godstime Umukoro, was found with multiple marks of assault on his body when the officers arrived at the scene, according to a statement issued by the Ghana Police Service.

The suspects were arrested at the scene.

They have been identified as Peter Mbam, 24; Godwin Moses, 26; Humble Oweifah, 18; Osas Ogbemudia, 30; Samuel Aisosa, 22; Ashile Godbess, 24; Alexander Uyuo, 30; and Patrick Romans, 25.

Beaten During Initiation

According to the police, preliminary interrogation revealed that the suspects claimed to have beaten Umukoro as part of his initiation into the internet fraud business.

The suspects reportedly told investigators that they had undergone a similar process before being admitted into the business.

The circumstances surrounding the alleged initiation and the victim’s relationship with the suspects were not detailed in the police statement.

Foreign Military Images Used

Preliminary investigations have also uncovered an alleged scheme in which the suspects used downloaded images of foreign military personnel to deceive unsuspecting victims online.

The police said the suspects initiated conversations with their targets while posing as military personnel deployed to the war front in Yemen.

Under the alleged scheme, the suspects would persuade their targets to send money, which was subsequently paid into an account belonging to their purported leader.

The police identified the alleged leader as Nwachukwu King Augustine, described in the statement as the group’s chairman.

The statement did not indicate whether Augustine had been arrested or provide further details about his whereabouts.

Police Commend Public

The Bono Regional Police Command has commended members of the public for their swift intervention, which led to the police response and the arrest of the suspects.

The command also assured residents of its continued collaboration with the public to combat crime in the region.

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