Five Nigerians and six Ghanaians have been arrested in Ghana for allegedly using deepfake artificial intelligence-generated video content to impersonate President John Dramani Mahama. The suspects were taken into custody by the Inspector-General of Police's Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team (CVET) of the Ghana Police Service.
Coordinated Cyber Operations
In a statement released on Thursday, May 7, 2026, CVET revealed that the suspects are part of a larger network involved in creating and distributing fraudulent digital content designed to impersonate high-profile individuals for financial gain. Between May 1 and May 3, 2026, CVET conducted coordinated cyber operations in Sogakope, Dabala, Tongu, Akatsi, and Aflao in the Volta Region, leading to the arrest of five Ghanaian suspects: Raphael Ablordeppey, 32; Anipah Jonathan, 23; Dzamesi Bright Kofi, 35; Thomas Ayoyo, 17; and Louis Segbawu, 18.
Second Group Arrested
On May 4, 2026, further cyber field tracking operations led to the arrest of five additional Nigerian suspects and one Ghanaian in Aflao for similar online fraudulent activities. The five Nigerians are Bishop Esiri, 46; Wisdom James, 25; Ali Lucky, 23; Edwin Edos, 22; and John Kofi Darlington, 20. The only Ghanaian in this group is Danu Peter, 19.
Exhibits Recovered
The team recovered several exhibits, including laptop computers, mobile phones, internet routers, 120 pre-registered SIM cards, and a Nigerian-registered ML 350 Mercedes-Benz with registration number Lagos LSR 138HR. Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects used the fraudulent AI-generated content to solicit money and sensitive personal information from unsuspecting members of the public through online platforms.
Court Proceedings
In court on May 6, 2026, nine of the 11 suspects were remanded into police custody to reappear on May 25, 2026, while two suspects, Thomas Ayoyo and Louis Segbawu, were granted bail with two sureties each to be justified. The investigation continues as authorities work to dismantle the wider network involved in this sophisticated cyber fraud scheme.
