Police arrest man who posed as officer to enter Shatta Wale's concert for free
A 32-year-old man who impersonated a police officer using the uniform of a deceased Chief Inspector to gain free entry to Shatta Wale’s concert at the Black Star Square in Accra last Saturday has been arrested by the police.
The National Operations Directorate Surveillance Unit of the Ghana Police Service arrested the suspect, Akoto Nelson, on Sunday, October 19, 2025, during the musical event. The Police Service confirmed the arrest in a statement issued on Monday.
According to a police, officers providing security at the concert observed the suspect dressed in a police uniform with the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police behaving suspiciously.
“Upon interrogation, he admitted that he was not a police officer,” the statement said.
The statement added that investigations showed the suspect impersonated a police officer to gain free access to the concert, claiming he could not afford the entry fee.
“He further disclosed that the uniform belonged to a deceased Chief Inspector identified as Gyasi, from whom he obtained the police accoutrements in 2022,” the Police Service noted.
A search conducted at Nelson’s residence in Taifa-Ashaiman led to the retrieval of several items which were retained as exhibits.
The items include a toy P99 pistol, a can of pepper spray, two ZTE mini handsets, a pepper spray pouch, a ZTE charger, a Xinfa cutter knife, some complimentary cards, a voter ID bearing the name Akoto Nelson Elikem, and a birth certificate bearing the name Nelson Akoto.
“Preliminary investigations further established that the suspect works as a security guard and messenger at a private company. He remains in police custody and will be put before court,” the police statement said.
