Dr. Jones Opoku-Ware, a Criminologist and Lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has strongly advocated for the government to allocate resources to support the Ghana Police Service and related agencies in conducting comprehensive research into the psychology of criminals.
Dr. Opoku-Ware asserts that a significant deficiency in criminal investigations in Ghana stems from the insufficient investment in research and analysis focused on the criminal mind.
Speaking in an interview with Kwabena Agaypong, host of Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, he highlighted that the lack of substantial investment in criminal behaviour analysis prevents investigators from fully understanding the motivations, behaviour patterns, and underlying psychological causes of crime.
Dr. Opoku-Ware explained that the effective deployment of criminal behaviour analysis could significantly assist investigators by utilizing scientific principles and data to examine and comprehend the motives behind criminal acts.
He noted that this strategic approach delves into the traits, targets, and actions of suspects, allowing for the meticulous probing of their techniques and the development of detailed profiles. Such analysis is crucial for helping the police predict future behaviour and develop robust investigative strategies through the examination of crime scenes and offender actions.
The lecturer further indicated that this type of analysis is essential for identifying patterns within a single crime or across multiple committed crimes. He cited historical examples to underscore his point, mentioning notorious convicted armed robber and serial killer, Atta Aryee.
Dr. Opoku-Ware recalled that Atta Aryee primarily targeted women who were returning home after church services. He also referenced the case of the individual known as Dr. Berkley, who was infamous for serial killing activities.
“In Ghana, throughout history, when we mention the most popular people known for serial killing, the name that easily comes to mind is Atta Aryee… There was one known as Dr. Beckley. But because we don’t conduct criminal behaviour analysis, we often incorrectly associate serial killings with ritual murders or ritual killings,” he stated.
He was responding to the recent arrest of a suspect in Wa who has reportedly confessed to engaging in serial killings since 2021, claiming to have killed 15 people so far.
Dr. Opoku-Ware commended the Police for the successful arrest, acknowledging the high level of intelligence and difficulty involved in apprehending serial killers.
He further elaborated that research has consistently demonstrated that many serial killers are diagnosed with some form of mental illness, most notably schizophrenia.
To illustrate the severity of psychological factors, he provided an example of a serial killer who, during interrogation, claimed to be receiving instructions from his dog to commit the murders.
“Therefore, we must examine the mental state of some of these criminals, as many, throughout criminology literature, suffer from schizophrenia. The arrested suspect in Wa, for instance, was clearly not killing for financial gain; otherwise, he would not have targeted watchmen and people who are mentally unwell,” Dr. Opoku-Ware concluded.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
