A High Court in the Wa area of Ghana has sentenced a notorious serial killer, Shariff Abdulai, popularly known as Cristos, to life imprisonment after he confessed to carrying out a string of murders across several parts of the country.
The conviction was announced Wednesday in a statement issued by the Ghana Police Service, which confirmed that the accused admitted in court to killing 23 people.
According to the statement, Abdulai pleaded guilty to the charges during proceedings before the High Court, bringing an end to months of investigation into a series of killings that had alarmed communities in northern Ghana.
The statement, signed by Upper West Regional Police Commander, Francis Yiribaare, revealed that the convict confessed to murdering 16 victims in Wa, five in Bole, and one each in Banda Nkwanta and Bamboi.
Abdulai was arrested on October 6, 2025, following what police described as sustained intelligence-led operations and investigations carried out by security operatives.
After his arrest, he was first arraigned before a District Magistrate Court, which later transferred the case to the High Court for full trial. He was subsequently brought before the court on March 4, 2026.
During the hearing, the accused — who was represented by a legal counsel — entered what authorities described as a clear and voluntary guilty plea to the charges.
Based on his admission, the presiding judge, Osei-Wusu Antwi, sentenced him to life imprisonment with hard labour.
Authorities disclosed that the convicted killer will serve his sentence at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison.
Reaffirming its commitment to public safety, the Ghana Police Service said it would continue to intensify operations to protect law-abiding citizens and ensure that offenders are brought to justice.
