Dr Jones Opoku-Ware, a distinguished criminologist and lecturer, has lauded the Ghana Police Service (GPS) following the apprehension of two suspects implicated in the murder of a night security guard.
The arrests have garnered considerable public attention, particularly since one of the individuals has reportedly confessed to the killings of 15 people.
On Wednesday, October 8, 2025, the Upper West Regional Police Commander, ACP Francis Yiribaare, confirmed to journalists that these killings encompass three incidents in Bole and Banda within the Savannah Region.
Commenting on the development, Dr Opoku-Ware, a lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), asserted that the arrests will send a strong signal to criminal syndicates, demonstrating the police’s unwavering commitment to pursuing them.
Speaking on “Frontline” on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Dr Opoku-Ware elaborated that the suspect who reportedly confessed to the crimes exhibits the characteristic modus operandi of a serial killer.
He noted the inherent difficulty in apprehending serial killers globally, primarily due to their operational methods, which involve avoiding a single location for their crimes.
“It is difficult to arrest serial killers. They don’t operate in a single location. After a crime, they can go into hiding for a period—for example, three months—before they strike again. They conduct their crimes in different locations, and if they don’t leave behind a signature, it becomes difficult for the police to target them. If care is not taken, the police may even mistake their crimes for different offenders when in actual fact it is the same person.”
Dr Opoku-Ware emphasised that these criminals often maintain seemingly normal lives without exhibiting any suspicious behaviour that would betray them.
He strongly stressed the necessity of commending the police for the breakthrough: “Because it is difficult to arrest serial killers, we must commend the police for arresting the suspect. The police have done so well. When you read the literature on serial killings and the modus operandi, they are able to run their activities for more than ten or fifteen years before they are apprehended. They are not necessarily sophisticated people and live simple [lives]. I therefore commend the police for this arrest.”
Addressing the question of why the suspect may have specifically targeted watchmen, the criminologist explained that, historically, the characteristics of serial killers demonstrate that they focus on specific targets or categories of victims.
He cited the United States, which has a record of approximately 120 arrested serial killers, as evidence that these offenders consistently have targeted victims.
“Some target women, others target children, others would sexually abuse you before killing you, while others would also sleep with you after killing you. All serial killers have their victims they target. In criminal and behavioural analysis, the serial killer arrested in Ghana targeted watchmen and mentally unstable people. That was his preferred category of victims.”
Meanwhile, he has maintained that with enough resources and independence, the Ghana Police Service will
“The Ghana Police Service is doing well. One interesting thing about the police is that when they are determined, they achieve results, so let’s continue to encourage them and resource them so they will continue to go after criminals and make the country safe for us.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
