Ghana Security and Justice: KNUST Bans Former Students as Police Disrupt Major Robbery Syndicates

In a significant move to bolster institutional safety, the management of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has permanently declared five former students persona non grata. The individuals—Francis Tutu Atuahene, Roland Botwe Nsiah, John Kelvin Kane, Felix Acquah, and Bernard Boadi—were originally dismissed in July 2025 for misconduct. However, their continued presence on campus and reported disruptive activities, particularly involving Atuahene, prompted the university to issue a strict warning to the student body and order an arrest on sight. This marks the second such declaration by the university in less than a year, reflecting a zero-tolerance policy toward indiscipline and threats to campus security.

Simultaneously, law enforcement agencies across the Western and Ashanti regions have reported major breakthroughs in combating violent crime. In Asankragwa, police apprehended four suspects—Issaku Ibrahim, Fatau Ali, Yahaya Mumuni, and Emmanuel Antwi—following an armed robbery at Velotop Co. Ltd. The gang allegedly held employees hostage and made away with GHS 200,000 in cash and valuables. Meanwhile, the Ashanti South Regional Police Command successfully disrupted a dangerous gang operating on the Obuasi-Dunkwa highway. During a high-stakes shootout on March 10 and 11, 2026, two suspects, David Aheto and Illiasu Bawa, were killed. These operations also led to the recovery of multiple firearms and the interception of 257 packets of illicit drugs, including tramadol, on a bus traveling toward Ayamfuri.

The Ghanaian judicial system has also seen a flurry of activity, headlined by the Court of Appeal upholding a GHS 1 million judgment against Marwako Fast Food. The ruling follows a 2022 food poisoning incident that affected several consumers, with plaintiff Winifred Tse providing critical medical evidence. In other criminal proceedings, the Adenta and Asante Abuakwa Circuit Courts handed down 15-year prison sentences to Kingsley Abdul Wahab Lawani and Nicholas Adomako Baafi for separate counts of armed robbery. Minor cases were also processed, including the granting of bail to an electrician for pineapple theft and a trader accused of a stabbing incident in Accra, demonstrating the court's ongoing efforts to address a wide spectrum of offenses.

These developments highlight a coordinated effort between educational institutions, law enforcement, and the judiciary to maintain law and order. While the KNUST administration focuses on internal discipline and the police target transnational cybercrime and highway robberies, the courts are reinforcing public safety through significant liability rulings and stiff sentencing. However, concerns regarding localized violence persist, as evidenced by a recent cutlass attack on a 19-year-old Nkwatia Senior High School student by a church security guard. Authorities continue to urge citizens and students alike to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to ensure the continued safety of the community.