Nyanoa, Eastern Region — A 45-year-old farmer, Azumah Zakari, has been shot and killed by two suspected land guards, identified as Kobby Asaa and Red, in Nyanoa, a farming community in the Upper West Akyem District of the Eastern Region.
The incident occurred on the afternoon of Saturday, April 5, 2025, at around 2:00 pm.
According to the wife of the deceased, Madam Adwoa Augustina, her husband had gone to their orange farm with the intention of cutting down some trees to improve the yield. Upon reaching the farm, he encountered the two gunmen who were already cutting down orange trees.
The armed men reportedly told him that the land had been sold to another individual who intended to cultivate garden eggs. Zakari is said to have responded that if the land had been sold, he would at least return later to collect the felled trees for firewood.
However, as he turned to leave, he was allegedly shot in the left leg from behind. Due to the lack of immediate transportation, Zakari reportedly bled for hours before being rushed to the Asamankese Government Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Some youth who accompanied the deceased to the hospital have accused the Chief of Nyanoa, Osabarima Opoku Okyere II, of being complicit in the incident. They claim that the suspects, Kobby Asaa and Red, are known associates of the chief and are often used in the alleged unlawful sale of lands within the community.
The suspects are currently on the run. The case has been reported to both the Nyanoa and Asamankese Police for investigation.
The body of Azumah Zakari has been deposited at the Asamankese Government Hospital morgue for autopsy and further examination.
Authorities are urging calm as investigations continue.
