The Central North Regional Police Command has rescued a 30-year-old man who was allegedly kidnapped, tortured and held for ransom in an intelligence-led operation at Assin Fosu.
The operation, code-named “Operation Rescue the Victim and Arrest the Perpetrators,” also led to the arrest of 4 suspects believed to be connected to the alleged kidnapping and extortion syndicate.
The operation was coordinated by the Inspector General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohonu, with support from the Central North Regional Police Command, the Anti-Armed Robbery Unit and specialised personnel from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters and the Ashanti Region.
According to the police, the victim, identified as Bismarck Amo, was allegedly lured from his residence at Assin Fosu to Kumasi on September 3, 2026, after one of the suspects claimed that he had defrauded her of an unspecified amount of money.
The suspect, identified as Mavis Badu Acheampong, allegedly conspired with her husband, a senior military officer currently outside the country, to lure Mr Amo to Kumasi. Upon his arrival, she allegedly enlisted the assistance of Charles Doku, Oteng Baffour and other accomplices to forcibly abduct him.
Police said the victim was held at Mavis Badu Acheampong’s private residence from September 6 to September 11, 2026, while the suspects demanded GH¢19,500 from his family as ransom.
The alleged kidnappers reportedly used their own mobile phones to communicate with the victim’s family in an attempt to avoid detection and conceal their digital trail.
During his captivity, the victim was allegedly subjected to severe torture. Police said the suspects stripped him naked, tied his hands with a strong nylon rope and beat him until he sustained serious injuries to his head and genitals.
The suspects allegedly recorded the abuse and sent the videos to the victim’s family while demanding an additional GH¢45,000, which they claimed was to cover the alleged debt and expenses incurred in locating him.
The police said the family initially paid GH¢19,500 through mobile money, but the suspects later demanded a further GH¢30,500, threatening to kill the victim if the money was not paid.
The victim’s family reported the matter to the Regional CID in Assin Fosu on September 8, 2026, after making the initial ransom payment. The report triggered the immediate deployment of police tracking and rescue teams.
On September 11, the suspects allegedly attempted to move Mr Amo to another location after realising that the police were closing in on them. They reportedly instructed a driver to abandon him by the roadside, but tactical police teams intercepted the vehicle and rescued him.
The victim, who was reportedly found partially unconscious, covered in blood and suffering from severe bruises, was rushed to a medical facility. He remains on admission under police protection and is receiving treatment for his physical and psychological injuries.
The 4 arrested suspects 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, also known as Culture, whose age was not provided and who is also a teacher at Kumasi Girls Senior High School.
The suspects are in police custody and are being processed for court, while the police continue efforts to arrest the senior military officer allegedly linked to the case and other accomplices who remain at large.
The police administration warned that individuals who resort to violence, kidnapping or other forms of self-help would face the full force of the law. It also assured the public that investigations would continue until all persons connected to the alleged syndicate were brought to justice.
