The Western Regional Police Command has arrested five suspects believed to be involved in the gruesome murder of John Abban, a brother to the chief of Butre and Asemkor.

This follows a chieftaincy dispute in the Asemkor community in the Ahanta West District.

According to a statement signed by Supt Olivia E. T. Adiku, Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the Western Regional Police Command, the incident occurred on October 6, 2025, when the victim was attacked and killed amidst tensions over chieftaincy matters.

After the murder, the suspects reportedly fled the community and went into hiding. However, through sustained intelligence efforts, three of them — Kennedy Abor, alias Abongo (30), Kojo Attah Panyi (20), and Joseph Basses (30) — were arrested on October 15, 2025, at Funko in the Western Region.

Further collaboration between the Western Regional Intelligence Directorate and the Accra Regional Intelligence Directorate led to the arrest of two other key suspects, Abraham Cudjoe, alias Yalle (39), and Ekow Painstil (45), at Afuaman Ayigbe Town in the Ga West Municipality of the Greater Accra Region on October 21, 2025.

All five suspects are currently in police custody assisting with investigations and are expected to be arraigned before court soon.

The Police say efforts remain underway to maintain calm in the Asemkor community, which was recently thrown into turmoil following the violent chieftaincy clashes that left parts of the town in ruins.