In a disturbing attack that has shocked the Tema community and reignited concerns about the rising trend of youth involvement in violent crime, two young men—identified as Mustapha Abu, an auto mechanic, and Sadat Mohammed Issah, an electrician—are in police custody for the brutal slashing of a female police officer’s neck and robbing her of her phone.

The incident occurred on a quiet evening as Lance Corporal Confidence Tetteh, stationed at the Tema Community Two Police Command, was returning home from a church service.

According to police investigators, the two suspects, who were riding a motorbike, trailed the officer before launching a terrifying assault.

Mustapha Abu, riding pillion, wielded a machete and reportedly confronted Lance Corporal Tetteh with a chilling ultimatum: “Your life or your phone.”

When the officer refused to yield to the demand, Abu is said to have slashed her neck near the throat, causing a deep laceration, before forcibly seizing her iPhone XR.

Despite her injury, the matter was quickly reported and a swift police operation led to the arrest of the two suspects on the same day.

During a search, officers recovered Lance Corporal Tetteh’s stolen phone along with three additional mobile phones suspected to have been stolen from other victims.

The two suspects are believed to be part of a growing number of young individuals turning to violent crime for quick financial gain.

Both Mustapha and Sadat are in their late teens to early twenties, and their arrest has raised fresh questions about the societal failures and systemic neglect that may be fueling youth crime across Ghana.

This incident adds to the troubling surge of violent crimes involving adolescents and young adults, particularly in urban centers.

The brazenness of the attack—targeting a uniformed officer—has alarmed both residents and the police service, reinforcing the urgent need for coordinated interventions, community policing, and youth rehabilitation programs.

Meanwhile, Lance Corporal Tetteh is recovering from her injuries and receiving medical attention.

The Ghana Police Service has lauded the swift arrest of the suspects and vowed to clamp down on such violent acts, especially those targeting security personnel.