CID arrests ‘SoAfrican’: How influencer Joshua Boateng allegedly drugged, recorded women; suspected operated ‘VIP Sleep Fetish 2025’ Telegram channel

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has announced the arrest of Joshua Kojo Anane Boateng, a 36-year-old East Legon businessman and social media influencer, over allegations of drugging, sexually assaulting, filming, and distributing intimate videos of women without their consent.

CID Director-General COP Lydia Yaako Donkor disclosed the arrest at a press conference on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, noting that the suspect was apprehended on May 6 in a joint intelligence-led operation by the CID Cybercrime Unit and the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).

How the suspect allegedly operated

According to police investigations, Boateng allegedly operated a Telegram channel identified as “VIP Sleep Fetish 2025” , where he shared videos of women believed to have been sedated.

The suspect reportedly frequented nightclubs in Accra, where he approached female victims, drugged them using sedatives – including alprazolam, commonly known as Xanax – and subsequently sexually assaulted them while they were unconscious or unable to respond. Police allege he then secretly recorded the incidents and shared the videos and images on the Telegram platform without the victims’ knowledge or consent.

Some of the victims were women who had come from the diaspora. Reports indicate that months after leaving the country, some discovered their images and videos being circulated online and subsequently reported the matter to local authorities in their respective countries. These complaints, some channeled through INTERPOL, ultimately led investigators back to Boateng.

Items retrieved during arrest

A search conducted at the suspect’s East Legon residence led to the retrieval of several electronic devices and suspected substances, including:

· Two iPhones
· A feature phone
· A memory card
· A Seagate external hard drive
· A MacBook laptop
· An iSave device
· Empty sachets believed to have contained Alprazolam (Xanax) and Midazolam pills

The CID confirmed that all electronic devices have been retained for digital forensic examination, while the suspected substances will be submitted to the Food and Drugs Authority for analysis.

SoAfrican identified as the suspect

Although police did not officially release photographs of the suspect, multiple sources and individuals familiar with Boateng identified him as the same person known on Instagram as SoAfrican – a lifestyle influencer who marketed branded merchandise and was known for associating with Ghanaian celebrities including King Promise and businessman Osei Kwame Despite.

Boateng is also reported to be a nephew of Akosua Serwaa, the first wife of late highlife legend Daddy Lumba.

Suspect arraigned, investigation ongoing

COP Donkor confirmed that the suspect has since been arraigned before court. The Ghana Police Service has urged members of the public to report suspected cases of online sexual exploitation and cyber-related offences through the nearest police station or approved reporting channels.

“The Ghana Police Service reiterates its firm commitment to tackling online sexual exploitation in all its forms,” COP Donkor stated.

Investigations into the matter are ongoing.