Sakumono killings: Police hunt suspect over alleged GH¢500,000 debt dispute
Police say preliminary investigations point to a reported debt dispute involving GH¢500,000 as a possible trigger for the killing of George Atuguba, 57, and his 47-year-old niece, Irene, at their residence in Sakumono. A named suspect is being pursued.
The Ghana Police Service has launched investigations into the killing of a 57-year-old man and his 47-year-old niece at NTHC Estate, Sakumono, in the Greater Accra Region, following a reported dispute over a GH¢500,000 debt.
The deceased have been identified as George Atuguba and Irene Atuguba. Police have named Samuel Christopher Osei Anto as the suspect and say efforts are underway to apprehend him.
According to a statement issued by the Accra Regional Police Command on Friday, October 30, 2026, preliminary investigations suggest that a financial disagreement over an alleged unpaid loan may have triggered the killings.
What police say happened
The statement, signed by Chief Superintendent Juliana Obeng, Head of Public Affairs at the Accra Regional Police Command, said officers were dispatched to the residence after the Sakumono District Police Command received information about the incident.
Police said the bodies of the two relatives were found lying in a pool of blood when officers arrived.
Preliminary investigations indicate that George Atuguba had allegedly borrowed GH¢500,000 from the suspect but had failed to repay the money.
The suspect reportedly visited the deceased's residence on the morning of the incident, accompanied by a woman identified as Beatrice Mumuni, to demand repayment.
A misunderstanding allegedly developed during the encounter, after which the suspect reportedly shot and killed George Atuguba and his niece.
The precise circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation.
Bodies deposited for autopsy
Police said the victims were rushed to a hospital, where a medical officer pronounced them dead.
Their bodies have since been deposited at the Police Hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
The Accra Regional Police Command said it was working to apprehend the suspect and bring him before the law.
Read also: Sakumono killings: Police hunt suspect over alleged GH¢500,000 debt dispute
Investigation ongoing
The reported GH¢500,000 debt is a central focus of the preliminary police account of the incident.
However, the police have not provided further details about the circumstances of the alleged loan, the nature of the disagreement or the events immediately preceding the shooting.
The role, if any, of the woman who reportedly accompanied the suspect has also not been established in the information released by police.
The investigation is continuing, and the suspect's guilt has not been established in court.
Read the full statement below: