The Central North Regional Police Command has successfully rescued a kidnapped victim and arrested four suspects in an intelligence-led operation targeting a dangerous kidnapping, torture and extortion syndicate.
In a news release dated September 14, 2026, the Police stated that the operation, code-named “Operation Rescue the Victim and Arrest the Perpetrators,” was coordinated under the leadership of DCOP Abraham Acquaye, alongside the Regional Crime Officer Chief Supt. Agyemang Badu, the Anti-Armed Robbery Unit, and specialised personnel from the CID Headquarters and PID Ashanti Region.
The operation was directly overseen by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Christian Tetteh Yohonu.
The victim, 30-year-old Bismarck Amo, was rescued after being held hostage from September 6 to 11, 2026.
According to preliminary investigations, the victim allegedly defrauded suspect Mavis Badu Acheampong of an unspecified amount of money. Upon realising she had been defrauded, Mavis Badu Acheampong, allegedly connived with her husband—a senior military officer currently not in the country—and lured the victim from Assin Foso to Kumasi via telephone.
With the assistance of Charles Doku, Oteng Baffour and others currently at large, the suspects forcefully kidnapped Mr Amo upon his arrival.
The suspects held the victim hostage at Mavis’s private residence and subjected him to severe torture, even after the family had paid GH¢19,500 as ransom. To avoid police tracking, the syndicate used the suspects’ own mobile phones for communications with the family.
While in captivity, the suspects stripped the victim naked, tied his genitals with a strong nylon rope and beat him mercilessly until blood oozed from both his head and genitals. They filmed the abuse and sent the videos to the family, demanding a ransom of GH¢45,000, which they claimed was to cover the defrauded amount and search expenses. After receiving GH¢19,500 via mobile money transfers, they demanded an additional GH¢30,500 under the threat of executing the victim.
The family reported the matter to the Regional CID in Assin Foso on September 8, 2026, after paying the initial ransom but still not securing the victim’s release. This triggered the rescue operation.
On September 11, 2026, as the police net closed in, the suspects attempted to transfer the victim to a new location. Police tactical teams intercepted them mid-transit and safely rescued Mr Amo, who was found partially unconscious, his body completely drenched in blood and covered in severe bruises from head to toe.
He was immediately rushed to a medical facility under police escort and remains under heavy medical care for the physical trauma and psychological injuries he sustained.
The four arrested suspects currently in police custody are:
Mavis Badu Acheampong, 42, a teacher at Kumasi Girls Senior High School and resident of Breman UGC;
Charles Doku, 53, a security guard and resident of Breman UGC;
Oteng Baffour, 31, an electrician and resident of Breman UGC; and
Kenneth Opoku Kwarteng (alias Culture), a teacher at Kumasi Girls Senior High School, age unconfirmed.
Police are actively pursuing the senior military officer involved and all remaining accomplices still at large.
The Police Administration stated that taking the law into one’s own hands—no matter the provocation, grievance or financial loss—is a severe crime that will be met with the full force of the law.
The Ghana Police Service reaffirmed its commitment to tracking down criminals, dismantling organised syndicates and keeping communities safe under the leadership of the current IGP.
Photographs of the four arrested suspects have been released to the media. Further updates will be shared as the investigation unfolds.
The statement was signed by Francis Onyina (ASP), Public Affairs Directorate, Central North Region.
