Kakum National Park Ranger who was shot dead by poachers laid to rest, honoured with monument

Mr Richard Otwey, the 59-year-old Senior Ranger who was shot dead while leading an anti-poaching patrol at the Kakum Conservation Area, has been laid to rest at Abrafo in the Twifo-Hemang District of the Central Region.

The late Mr Otwey, fourth of 10 siblings, died on Saturday, August 22, 2026, after he was shot in the chest during a pursuit of suspected poachers near Pillar 22, close to the boundary of the Kakum Conservation Area.

His burial service drew family members, colleagues, traditional authorities and officials of the Forestry Commission, who gathered to honour a man whose decades of service ended with the ultimate sacrifice in defence of Ghana’s forests and wildlife.

A monument has been erected at the Central Administration of the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission in honour of the late Senior Ranger.

It was commissioned by Dr Gordon Kofi Sarfo-Adu, Executive Director of the Forest Services Division.

Bearing his name and the years 1967 to 2026, the monument stands as a permanent tribute to late Otwey’s courage, dedication and sacrifice in the protection of Ghana’s forest and wildlife resources.

On Friday, August 21, the Kakum Conservation Area staff Messrs Richard Otwey, John Otsiwah, Benjamin Ahado and Stephen Arthur began a three-day forest-protection and anti-poaching patrol from Briscoe 2 Camp near the Kruwa community.

After encountering an active poachers’ path and hearing gunshots, the team set an ambush.

At about 05:5 on Saturday, August 22, the rangers observed two torchlights approaching their position.

When the patrol team attempted to arrest the two suspected poachers, the men fled in different directions.

Ahado and Otsiwah arrested one suspect, John Mensah, while Otwey and Arthur pursued the second.

During the chase, the second suspect allegedly dropped his load, turned and shot Mr Otwey in the chest.

Before dying at the scene, Mr Otwey alerted his colleagues to the direction in which the suspect had fled.

The incident occurred near Pillar 22, about 40 to 50 metres from the conservation-area boundary.

Mr Mensah later identified the alleged shooter as Bukari Abudu, of Assin Betwease, who remains at large.

Police and Forestry Commission personnel recovered two single-barrel shotguns, bushmeat and hunting tools from the scene, while investigations continue.

Mr Richard Ofori Amanfo, Director of Operations of the Forestry Services Division of the Forestry Commission, condemned the killing in an interview with the media.

He assured Ghanaians that rangers remained undeterred by attacks from poachers and were prepared to go at great lengths to protect the country’s natural resources.

Mr Amanfo announced that the Commission had intensified internal training for rangers and planned to introduce paramilitary training to strengthen discipline, physical fitness, patrol capabilities, jungle-survival skills and response to security threats.

According to him, the training would improve coordination among patrol teams, boost field confidence and prepare officers to confront illegal activities in forest reserves and protected areas.

He cautioned poachers to desist from entering protected areas, warning that unlawful entry, possession of weapons and hunting are offences under the Wildlife Resources Management Act, 2023 (Act 1115), which can attract fines and imprisonment.

GNA