The Bono Region has, over the years, witnessed a string of high-profile and gruesome murder cases—many of which remain unresolved.
From the chilling Abesim killings to recent murders in Dormaa West and Sunyani West, grieving families are still waiting for justice.
The region has become the backdrop for some of Ghana’s most disturbing homicide cases in recent memory.
Among the most notorious is the Abesim case, which stunned the nation in August 2021. Richard Appiah, a 28-year-old footballer, is accused of murdering his stepbrother, Louis Agyemang, and 15-year-old Stephen Sarpong. Shockingly, he allegedly stored their mutilated remains in a refrigerator at Alaska Junction in Abesim.
Appiah was quickly arrested by the Bono Regional Police, and then Acting Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, visited the community to offer condolences. The case was later moved to the Accra High Court, but nearly four years on, there has been little progress—leaving families frustrated.
“The case was here, but it was transferred to Accra, and I don’t have anybody to transport me to and from Accra. I even thought the police would transport me to and from Accra so that my cost would come down, but since then, nobody has given me the data for the case. I don’t even have the data for the case now,” Yeboah Asuama, father of one of the victims, told Channel One News.
He is calling for the trial to be relocated to Sunyani to speed up the process.
“I am appealing to the State Prosecutor to transfer the case from Accra to the Sunyani High Court. I believe justice will prevail,” he added.
The region has since recorded other chilling incidents. In February this year, mobile money vendor Japhat Yeboah was killed at Nkrankwanta in the Dormaa West District. Six suspects are currently in custody assisting with investigations. The victim’s family has, for now, declined to speak publicly.
Another grisly case in 2024 shook the community of Ahyiayem in the Sunyani West Municipality. A 60-year-old woman, Ama Banawa, and her daughter, Mercy Yeribu, were found brutally murdered in their home. Police say investigations are still ongoing.
These recurring crimes—and the slow pace of justice—have heightened public anxiety and left affected families in prolonged distress.
There are growing calls for authorities to prioritise these cases and ensure that justice is not only done, but seen to be done.