The Criminal Investigations Department (CID), in a joint operation with the Bureau of National Investigations, has arrested a 36-year-old businessman from East Legon over allegations that he drugged, sexually assaulted, filmed and shared intimate videos of women online without their consent.
The suspect, identified as Joshua Kojo Anane Boate, is alleged to have operated a Telegram platform where videos involving women believed to have been sedated were circulated.
Briefing journalists at the CID Headquarters in Accra on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, CID Director-General, Commissioner of Police Lydia Yaako Donkor, said the arrest forms part of ongoing investigations into online sexual exploitation and cyber-related abuse targeting vulnerable persons.
According to COP Donkor, the suspect was arrested on May 6, 2026, following an intelligence-led operation carried out by officers from the CID Cybercrime Unit in collaboration with the BNI.
Investigators believe the suspect operated a Telegram platform identified as “VIP Sleep Fetish 2025,” where he allegedly uploaded videos of women he had drugged, sexually assaulted and filmed without their knowledge or consent.
COP Donkor explained that investigations suggest the suspect frequented nightclubs in Accra in 2025, where he allegedly approached female victims and administered Alprazolam, commonly known as Xanax, before assaulting them while they were unconscious or unable to respond.
She said the suspect allegedly recorded the incidents and later shared the videos and images on the Telegram platform without the consent of the victims.
Police said a search conducted at the suspect’s residence led to the retrieval of two iPhones, a feature phone, a memory card, a Seagate external hard drive, a MacBook laptop and an iSave device.
Investigators also recovered empty sachets believed to have contained Alprazolam (Xanax) and Midazolam (Versed) pills.
COP Donkor said all electronic devices retrieved during the operation have been retained for digital forensic examination, while the sachets will be submitted to the Food and Drugs Authority for further analysis.
She confirmed that the suspect has since been arraigned before court, while investigations continue.
The CID Director-General also appealed to the public to report suspected cases of online sexual exploitation, abuse and cyber-related offences through the nearest police station or approved reporting channels.