Police Probe Alleged Rigging Plot as Unauthorized Ballot Papers Are Retrieved at Aburaso
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has launched a full-scale investigation following the discovery of unauthorized ballot papers at Aburaso, a community within the Kumasi enclave, raising concerns over possible electoral manipulation linked to the New Patriotic Party’s ongoing internal primaries.
According to police sources, at about 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 30, 2026, the Command received credible intelligence indicating that suspected ballot materials had been concealed in an uncompleted residential structure in the area. Acting swiftly on the tip-off, a team from the Regional Crime Scene Management Unit was dispatched to the location to verify the information and secure the site.
Upon a thorough search of the four-bedroom unfinished building, officers discovered a box hidden inside one of the incomplete washrooms. Preliminary examination revealed the contents to be ballot papers believed to be associated with the NPP’s internal electoral process.
A detailed count conducted at the scene showed that the box contained 942 ballot papers, of which 609 had already been thumb-printed in favour of a particular candidate, while 333 remained unused.
The recovered materials have since been sealed, documented, and transferred to the Regional Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for safekeeping, forensic analysis, and further investigative work.
Police say investigations are ongoing to establish the source of the ballot papers, how they were acquired, and the individuals or groups behind their concealment. No arrests have been made so far, but authorities insist that all leads are being actively pursued.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has reaffirmed its commitment to upholding law and order and safeguarding the integrity of both national and internal party electoral processes. It has also urged the public, political actors, and stakeholders to remain calm and cooperate fully with security agencies as investigations continue.
Residents of Aburaso and surrounding communities have been assured of heightened police presence to maintain peace and prevent any escalation ahead of the upcoming primary.
