# Poaching fatality in Kakum Forest Reserve

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/poaching-fatality-in-kakum-forest-reserve
> Updated: 2026-08-26T12:06:27.000Z. Sources: 9. Developments: 2.

On August 21 or 22, 2026, Richard Otwey, a 58-year-old wildlife resource guard with the Forestry Commission, was shot and killed during a patrol in the Assin Kruwa section of the Kakum Forest Reserve in Ghana.

Reports indicate that the patrol team, which was conducting a three-day anti-poaching mission, encountered two men, identified as Bukari Abudu and John Mensah, who were allegedly hunting illegally. When the officers ordered the suspects to surrender, a pursuit ensued. During the encounter, Abudu allegedly used a single-barrel gun to shoot Otwey in the chest, killing him at the scene.

Authorities apprehended John Mensah, while Bukari Abudu remains at large. Police recovered a single-barrel gun, footprints, and a spent cartridge from the site. This incident marks the third time a Wildlife Division staff member has been killed or shot by poachers in 2026.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-26: Kakum National Park ranger shot dead by suspected poachers

Senior Ranger Richard Otwey was shot dead by suspected poachers while on an anti-poaching patrol in Ghana's Kakum National Park. One suspect is in custody while another remains at large.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kakum-national-park-ranger-shot-dead-by-suspected-poachers

### 2026-08-23: Kakum Forest Reserve guard shot dead by suspected poacher

A 58-year-old wildlife guard, Richard Otwey, was shot dead by a suspected poacher during a patrol in Ghana's Kakum Forest Reserve. One suspect is in custody while another remains at large.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kakum-forest-reserve-guard-shot-dead-by-suspected-poacher

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Cite as: Poaching fatality in Kakum Forest Reserve. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/poaching-fatality-in-kakum-forest-reserve