The Ghana Police Service has confirmed the arrest of media personality, Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah, following disturbances that disrupted the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Afigya Sekyere East Constituency executive elections at Wiamoase in the Ashanti North Region.

In a statement issued by the Ashanti North Regional Police Command on Monday, July 13, 2026, the police identified the suspect as Kwame Afrifa Mensah, aged 43, and said he was arrested together with six others to assist with investigations.

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According to the police, the incident occurred at about 7:45 am on Sunday, July 12, 2026, at the SDA Church polling station.

The police said Afrifa Mensah allegedly led a group of about 30 macho men to the polling station, where they confronted security personnel.

“When security personnel engaged the group to ascertain the purpose of their presence, they became aggressive, attacked the police, and disrupted the electoral process by throwing electoral materials onto the ground,” the statement said.

The police said Afrifa Mensah, whom they described as the suspected ring leader, was arrested along with six others, while the remaining members of the group fled the scene.

“The suspected ring leader, Kwame Afrifa Mensah, together with Six (6) others, were swiftly arrested to assist with investigations, while the remaining members of the group escaped. Efforts are underway to arrest the other suspects,” the statement added.

Preliminary investigations, according to the police, indicate that Afrifa Mensah claimed some of his supporters had been sidelined in the electoral process and that he had secured an interlocutory injunction to stop the election.

However, the police said neither they nor the Electoral Commission received any court order directing that the election be suspended.

“Preliminary investigations indicates that, suspect Kwame Afrifa Mensah claimed that some of his supporters had been side-lined in the electoral process and that he had obtained an interlocutory injunction to halt the elections. However, neither the Electoral Commission nor the Police received any court order or injunction directing that the elections be suspended,” the statement noted.

The police said calm was restored after their intervention, allowing voting to continue under tight security until the Electoral Commission declared the results at the end of the exercise.

Police added that later in the day, Afrifa Mensah and another suspect, Osman Awuni, complained of ill health and were taken to the Mampong Government Hospital for treatment.

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“Later on the same day, suspect Afrifa Mensah and another suspect, Osman Awuni, aged 44 years complained of ill health and were taken to the Mampong Government Hospital where they were admitted for treatment,” the statement said.

The police added that the two suspects remain under police guard while receiving treatment, and investigations are ongoing.



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