Police arrest eight over online fraud, military impersonation and fraud initiation assault
Eight men have been arrested in the Bono Region over an alleged internet fraud operation involving the use of fake military identities, while police investigations have linked the group to the assault of a 21-year-old man during an alleged initiation process.
The arrests followed a police operation at Kotokrom, a suburb of the Sunyani West Municipality, on October 4, 2026.
The Bono Regional Police Command said its patrol team received a distress call at about 4:30 p.m. reporting that a group of people were attacking a man.
Officers who responded to the call found the victim, Godstime Umukoro, 21, with multiple marks of assault. The eight suspects were subsequently arrested at the scene.
Preliminary police investigations suggest that the suspects were involved in an online fraud scheme in which they allegedly posed as foreign military personnel serving in Yemen.
The suspects reportedly used downloaded photographs of foreign military men to establish contact with unsuspecting individuals online.
They allegedly told their targets that they were at the war front in Yemen before persuading them to send money.
According to the police, money obtained from the alleged victims was paid into an account belonging to the group’s alleged leader, identified as Nwachukwu King Augustine.
The police described Augustine as the chairman of the group but did not indicate in the statement whether he was among those arrested.
The investigation has also uncovered allegations that Umukoro was severely beaten as part of an initiation process into the internet fraud business.
During interrogation, the suspects reportedly admitted to assaulting him and claimed that they had undergone the same process when they joined the operation.
The eight arrested men are 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.
The allegations have not been tested in court, and the suspects are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The Bono Regional Police Command has praised members of the public for their swift intervention, highlighting the importance of public cooperation in identifying and reporting suspected criminal activities.
The command reaffirmed its commitment to working with residents to combat crime in the region.
The case highlights the risks associated with online relationships involving unverified identities, particularly schemes in which fraudsters allegedly impersonate military personnel to gain the trust of potential victims.
Members of the public are advised to exercise caution when interacting with strangers online, especially when requests for money are involved.
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