A High Court in Wa has sentenced a suspected serial killer to life imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to multiple counts of murder committed across the Upper West and Savannah regions.
The convict, Shariff Abdulai, popularly known as “Cristos,” admitted to the killing of Issah Yahaya and 22 other victims in a series of attacks that spanned several communities.
In a statement issued on March 4, 2026, by the Public Affairs Unit of the Ghana Police Service in the Upper West Region, police confirmed that the sentence was handed down by the High Court in Wa after Abdulai pleaded guilty to the charges.
According to the statement, the convict confessed to murdering 16 people in Wa, five in Bole, and one each in Banda Nkwanta and Bamboi, bringing the total number of victims to 23.
Police investigations revealed that Abdulai was arrested on October 6, 2025, following what authorities described as sustained, intelligence-led operations carried out by security agencies.
After his arrest, he was initially taken through committal proceedings at the District Magistrate Court before being formally arraigned before the High Court in Wa on March 4, 2026.
During the court proceedings, Abdulai, who was represented by legal counsel, entered a guilty plea to the charges brought against him.
Upon his own plea, the presiding judge, Justice Osei-Wusu Antwi, convicted and sentenced him to life imprisonment with hard labour.
Authorities indicated that Abdulai will serve his sentence at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison.
The Upper West Regional Command of the Ghana Police Service, in the statement, reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining law and order and assured the public that it would continue to intensify efforts to ensure the safety and security of law-abiding citizens.
