Police Officer Sentenced to Life for Killing Girlfriend in Kumasi

A police officer with the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit, Inspector Ahmed Twumasi, has been handed a life sentence after being found guilty of murdering his girlfriend, Victoria Dapaah, popularly known as Maa Adwoa.

The verdict was delivered on Friday, October 24, 2025, by a Kumasi High Court after a seven-member jury returned a 5–2 decision confirming his guilt.

Twumasi, also known by the nickname “Tycoon,” was accused of fatally shooting the 26-year-old woman multiple times in the chest and abdomen near Adum in Kumasi on the night of April 20, 2023.

Maa Adwoa, a mother of one, was rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

The police launched a manhunt that led to Twumasi’s arrest at Sekyere, near Effiduase, days after the crime.

He had earlier pleaded not guilty when he was first arraigned on July 26, 2023.

At the final hearing, Principal State Attorney Ernest Aryeh urged the jury to consider the overwhelming evidence presented by the prosecution, stressing that justice must be served not only for the deceased but also for her three-year-old child.

Defense lawyer Eric Wanaa, standing in for Yaya Seidu, however, argued that his client was innocent and appealed for a “not guilty” verdict.

After deliberations, five of the jurors found the accused guilty, while two voted otherwise.

Based on the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Amendment Act (Act 1092), the court presided over by Her Lady Justice Rosemary Baah Tosu sentenced him to life imprisonment.

Following the sentencing, Twumasi, wearing a face mask, was seen whispering to his lawyer to convey his remorse to the court and plead for leniency.

The prosecution objected, insisting that the punishment for murder was fixed by law and could not be mitigated.

Friday’s decision brought closure to nearly three years of legal proceedings and constant court appearances by the family of the deceased.

Relatives of Maa Adwoa broke into jubilant celebration outside the courtroom, pouring white powder on the head of family leader Nana Addo, who has consistently represented them throughout the case.

Story by Adwoa S. Danso