Abu Trica’s arrest was a 12-hour court-ordered operation - NACOC official reveals

Dorcas Agambila 11:35 - 02 June 2026

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Abu Trica remains in custody as legal experts explain the challenges of meeting his GH₵30 million bail conditions.

Abu Trica released, reuintes with son after meeting GH¢30m bail conditions

The Deputy Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Alexander Twum-Barimah, has defended the operation that led to the arrest of socialite and businessman Abu Trica, revealing that the exercise lasted approximately 12 hours and involved multiple teams operating across different regions.

NACOC Deputy Director-General Alexander Twum-Barimah says the operation to arrest Abu Trica lasted 12 hours and involved three separate teams acting under a court order.
Twum-Barimah dismissed claims that Abu Trica requested a lawyer during his arrest, arguing that a viral video showed only a small portion of the operation.
Abu Trica was arrested in December 2025 following a US indictment over an alleged $8 million romance fraud scheme and was later granted GH¢30 million bail in April 2026.

Speaking in an interview on Lawson TV on 1 June 2026, Twum-Barimah dismissed public reactions based on a short video clip that circulated online following the arrest. According to him, the footage captured only a small portion of a lengthy operation and did not accurately reflect what transpired.

Addressing claims that Abu Trica requested legal representation during the arrest, the NACOC official insisted that the social media personality never made such a statement.

He explained;

He never said, ‘I want my lawyer’. When someone is arrested, certain basic details must first be taken, including confirming the identity of the person being apprehended

Twum-Barimah further disclosed that the arrest was carried out under a court-issued warrant and required extensive coordination among security personnel.

He stated;

The operation lasted about 12 hours. Three teams were involved, two operating in Accra and one in the Central Region. How can a one-minute-and-twenty-second video be used to judge a 12-hour operation? It was a court-directed exercise

He also rejected suggestions that Abu Trica had been singled out or targeted because of personal or political motives, stressing that the arrest was conducted strictly in accordance with legal procedures.

The businessman, whose real name is Frederick Kumi, was arrested in December 2025 following an indictment by authorities in the United States. Prosecutors alleged that he played a role in a romance fraud scheme that reportedly defrauded elderly American victims of more than $8 million.

The charges levelled against him include conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy and related forfeiture offences linked to the alleged proceeds of the scheme.

After spending several months in custody, Abu Trica secured bail in April 2026 when the General Jurisdiction 2 Division of the Accra High Court granted him bail in the sum of GH¢30 million with two justified sureties.

His detention had followed an extradition request from US authorities, who are seeking to prosecute him over the alleged fraud-related offences.

The case continues to attract public attention as legal proceedings surrounding the extradition request and criminal allegations move forward.

@lawsonmediagh Abu Trica's arrest - "Abu Trica was not hated by the government. His case was a joint security operation" - Lawyer Twum Barimah #lawsontv #fyp #ghanasesen #twumbarimah #abutrica ♬ original sound - Lawson TV & 96.3FM

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