32 Ghanaians named on US 'Worst of the Worst' criminal database – Homicide, sex assault and human trafficking included
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has named thirty-two Ghanaian nationals on its "Worst of the Worst" online database, a public transparency tool that lists foreign nationals residing in the United States who have serious criminal records and are facing deportation.
The database, managed by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, highlights what the department describes as "the worst of the worst criminal aliens" arrested by ICE officers. The Department of Homeland Security recently added 5,000 arrests to the website, bringing the total number of criminal arrests on the site to more than 35,000.
Serious charges against Ghanaians
Among the Ghanaians listed, Kwabena Adjei, arrested in Alden, New York, faces the most serious charge: homicide. Paul Dayah, arrested in Houston, Texas, is listed with charges including sex assault, drug possession and drug trafficking. Edmund Agbo, arrested in Conroe, Texas, faces charges of assault and human slavery or trafficking.
Several Ghanaian nationals face sex-related charges. Martin Obeng Darko Berchie, arrested in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is charged with a sex offence. Solomon Blay, arrested in Newark, New Jersey, faces charges including cruelty toward a child.
Identity theft and fraud cases
A significant number of those listed face identity theft and fraud-related charges. Joseph Ebu, arrested in Louisville, Kentucky, faces charges of fraud, illegal use of credit cards and identity theft. Regina Asante Henaku, arrested in Framingham, Massachusetts, is charged with larceny from a building, identity theft, and fraud including illegal use of credit cards and impersonation.
George Owusu Ansah, arrested in Harlingen, Texas, is charged with identity theft. Emmanuel Lamptey, arrested in Nashville, Tennessee, is also charged with identity theft. Emmanuel Darko, arrested in Saint Clairsville, Ohio, faces charges including possession of a weapon, fraud by false statement and identity theft.
Andrew K A Boateng, arrested in Hackensack, New Jersey, faces fraud by impersonation. Iddriss Osman, arrested in Snow Hill, Maryland, is charged with fraudulent use of credit cards. Lily Aiphonsis Majdoub, arrested in Elk River, Minnesota, faces fraud charges. Charles Sokpa-Anku, arrested in Sterling, Virginia, is charged with fraud by swindle. Mona Montrage, arrested in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, faces fraud charges.
Drug and trafficking offences
Masawudu Gariba, arrested in York, Pennsylvania, faces charges of synthetic narcotic sale and drug trafficking. Edward Sarpong, arrested in Charleston, South Carolina, is charged with burglary and synthetic narcotic sale. Kofi Owusu, arrested in Bennettsville, South Carolina, is charged with drug trafficking.
Jeanette Agbemble, arrested in Houston, Texas, faces charges of dangerous drugs and drug possession. Adams Suleman, arrested in Miami, Florida, faces cocaine possession charges.
Money laundering and other financial crimes
Eric Ahiekpor, arrested in Allenwood, Pennsylvania, faces multiple charges including fraud by wire, fraud, insufficient funds cheque fraud and money laundering. Kahad Wuupini, arrested in Big Spring, Texas, is charged with money laundering. David Mensah, arrested in Loretto, Pennsylvania, also faces money laundering charges.
Other offences
Franklin Donkoh, arrested in Atlanta, Georgia, is listed for shoplifting. Kofi Michael Adae, arrested in Chantilly, Virginia, faces damage to property. Awudu Aidoo, arrested in Alden, New York, faces a weapon offence. Brian Danjuma, arrested in Frederick, Maryland, is charged with domestic violence. Mohammed Mustapha, arrested in Saint Louis, Michigan, faces extortion charges.
Joseph Amegah, arrested in Burlington, Massachusetts, faces charges of assault and fraud by false statement. Emmanuel Haruna, arrested in Laredo, Texas, is charged with assault and smuggling aliens. Abdul Mohammed, arrested in Laredo, Texas, faces identity theft and counterfeiting charges. Albert Nkrumah, arrested in Atlanta, Georgia, is charged with forgery.
Complete list of Ghanaian nationals named
The following thirty-two Ghanaian nationals appear on the DHS "Worst of the Worst" database:
- Franklin Donkoh (Atlanta, Georgia) – Shoplifting
- Adams Suleman (Miami, Florida) – Cocaine Possession
- Solomon Blay (Newark, New Jersey) – Cruelty Toward Child, Fraud
- Kofi Michael Adae (Chantilly, Virginia) – Damage Property
- Awudu Aidoo (Alden, New York) – Weapon Offence
- Brian Danjuma (Frederick, Maryland) – Domestic Violence
- Joseph Ebu (Louisville, Kentucky) – Fraud, Illegal Use of Credit Cards, Identity Theft
- Regina Asante Henaku (Framingham, Massachusetts) – Larceny, Identity Theft, Fraud
- George Owusu Ansah (Harlingen, Texas) – Identity Theft
- Masawudu Gariba (York, Pennsylvania) – Synthetic Narcotic Sale, Drug Trafficking
- Andrew K A Boateng (Hackensack, New Jersey) – Fraud (Impersonating)
- Iddriss Osman (Snow Hill, Maryland) – Fraud (Illegal Use of Credit Cards)
- Edward Sarpong (Charleston, South Carolina) – Burglary, Synthetic Narcotic Sale
- Paul Dayah (Houston, Texas) – Sex Assault, Drug Possession, Drug Trafficking
- Joseph Amegah (Burlington, Massachusetts) – Assault, Fraud (False Statement)
- Lily Aiphonsis Majdoub (Elk River, Minnesota) – Fraud
- Emmanuel Darko (Saint Clairsville, Ohio) – Possession of Weapon, Fraud, Identity Theft
- Martin Obeng Darko Berchie (Minneapolis, Minnesota) – Sex Offence
- Charles Sokpa-Anku (Sterling, Virginia) – Fraud (Swindle)
- Emmanuel Lamptey (Nashville, Tennessee) – Identity Theft
- Mohammed Mustapha (Saint Louis, Michigan) – Extortion
- Emmanuel Haruna (Laredo, Texas) – Assault, Smuggling Aliens
- Kahad Wuupini (Big Spring, Texas) – Money Laundering
- Kwabena Adjei (Alden, New York) – Homicide
- Edmund Agbo (Conroe, Texas) – Assault, Human Slavery or Trafficking
- Eric Ahiekpor (Allenwood, Pennsylvania) – Fraud by Wire, Fraud, Money Laundering
- Jeanette Agbemble (Houston, Texas) – Dangerous Drugs, Drug Possession
- Abdul Mohammed (Laredo, Texas) – Identity Theft, Counterfeiting
- Albert Nkrumah (Atlanta, Georgia) – Forgery
- Mona Montrage (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) – Fraud
- David Mensah (Loretto, Pennsylvania) – Money Laundering
- Kofi Owusu (Bennettsville, South Carolina) – Drug Trafficking
DHS statement and broader context
The Department of Homeland Security stated that under DHS leadership, officers are fulfilling President Trump's promise and carrying out mass deportations, "starting with the worst of the worst."
Acting DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement: "If you see an ICE law enforcement officer, thank them for removing these thugs from your neighbourhoods. Our ICE law enforcement officers truly are the best of the best. They put their lives on the line every day to arrest the worst of the worst."
The department touted that its operations have resulted in the arrests of over 7,000 gang members and 1,416 known or suspected terrorists nationwide.
However, advocacy groups and internal reports indicate that a large portion of the arrests made by DHS involve individuals with no criminal record or minor, nonviolent offences. According to TRAC Immigration, a Syracuse University-operated immigration data source, those held in ICE detention centres without criminal convictions made up 70.8 per cent of detainees as of early April.
The criminal histories of those arrested on the database overall include homicide, sex offences against children, driving under the influence, aggravated assault, hit and run, drug possession and arson. The most recent arrests include individuals from Honduras, Cuba, Mexico, Guatemala, Vietnam, Liberia, El Salvador, India, Ukraine and Laos.
