The Ghana Police Service has arrested two key suspects in connection with the alleged kidnapping and murder of Senegalese goalkeeper Cheikh Toure in K
The Ghana Police Service has arrested two key suspects in connection with the alleged kidnapping and murder of Senegalese goalkeeper Cheikh Toure in Kumasi, nearly a year after his death.
The suspects, identified as 32-year-old Salifu Walid, a Nigerien national, and 24-year-old Aziz Wadrago Mane, a Burkinabe, were arrested on 20 September at their hideout in Banpanase, near Mamponteng, by a team from the Anti-Armed Robbery Unit working with the Police Intelligence Directorate in the Ashanti Region.
Police describe the operation as intelligence-led. The arrests mark a significant development in a case that has remained unresolved since October last year.
What happened
According to police, on 16 October 2025, some persons who claimed to be the goalkeeper’s brothers took him to the Manhyia Hospital in Kumasi with several abdominal injuries, saying he had been involved in an accident. Toure was, however, pronounced dead on arrival.
The individuals then deposited his body at the Ebenezer Mortuary at Tafo in Kumasi and fled. Some reports say the men who brought him to the hospital were three people believed to be foreign nationals.
A group posing as scouts
Preliminary investigations indicate that Walid and Mane belong to a four-member group suspected of masterminding the kidnapping and killing.
Police say the group poses as football scouts and uses online networks to lure unsuspecting victims into the country, an approach that preys on the ambitions of young players seeking opportunities abroad.
The two suspects reportedly admitted their involvement during interrogation and gave details of the roles they played in luring Toure to Ghana as part of an alleged scheme to defraud him.
Two suspects still at large
Police say efforts have been intensified to arrest the remaining members of the group: Noukoubri Arzouma Sylviain, also known as Prince Pierre, and another suspect identified as Barry. Both are said to have played central roles in the group’s operations.
Questions remain
Police have not disclosed the specific circumstances under which Toure was allegedly kidnapped or how he died. Investigations are continuing, and police say they will pursue anyone found to have played a role in the crime.
The two suspects remain in police custody and will be processed for court. As in all criminal matters, they are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court.
The case also serves as a warning to young footballers and their families to verify the identity and credentials of any agent or scout who offers trials or contracts abroad, particularly when the approach is made online.
Aspiring players are advised to consult their clubs or the relevant football authorities before travelling for any trial.
Further updates are expected as police pursue the two suspects still at large.
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