The High Court in Wa in the Upper West Region has sentenced a man identified as Shariff Abdulai, also known as “Cristos,” to life imprisonment for multiple murders committed across parts of northern Ghana.
The sentence was delivered on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, after the accused pleaded guilty to the killing of Issah Yahaya and twenty-two other victims.
According to a press release issued by the Public Affairs Unit of the Ghana Police Service in Wa, the convict admitted responsibility for sixteen murders in Wa, five in Bole, and one each in Banda Nkwanta and Bamboi.
Police revealed that Shariff Abdulai was arrested on October 6, 2025, following sustained intelligence-led operations and investigations into a series of mysterious killings that had created fear in several communities.
He was later arraigned before the Wa High Court on March 4, 2026, after committal proceedings at the District Magistrate Court. The accused, who was represented by legal counsel, pleaded guilty to the charge.
Presiding Judge, Justice Osei-Wusu Antwi, subsequently sentenced him to life imprisonment with hard labour based on his own plea.
The convict will serve his sentence at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison.
The Upper West Regional Police Command reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining law and order, assuring the public that it will continue working tirelessly to ensure the safety and security of law-abiding citizens.
Meanwhile, the General Manager of Bole-based Nkilgi FM, Mahama Haruna, says the conviction has vindicated his earlier suspicions about the accused.
According to him, during the peak of the mysterious killings in Bole, which claimed the life of his nephew and several others, he publicly stated on Nkilgi FM that Shariff Abdulai was his prime suspect and called for his arrest and interrogation.
He explained that his suspicion was based on a pattern he observed, where the suspect was often seen around areas where killings occurred, only to disappear shortly afterwards and later return.
Mahama Haruna noted that the accused frequently visited his area under the pretext of shining shoes, but he repeatedly warned people that his instincts told him the man was dangerous and could be gathering information about potential victims.
He said many people initially dismissed his claims and mocked him for suspecting a man believed to be mentally unstable.
“Today, I have been vindicated,” he stated.
However, he expressed the view that the punishment should have been more severe, suggesting that the convict deserved a harsher sentence than life imprisonment.
Source: nkilgifm.com
