STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Joshua Kojo Anane Boateng, known online as SoAfrican, was arrested by the Cybercrime Unit of the Ghana Police Service on May 6, 2026, with the arrest made public on May 12
- Ghana Police CID Director-General DCOP Lydia Donkor confirmed he allegedly operated a secret Telegram channel sharing non-consensual intimate videos of women he reportedly drugged
- SoAfrican was a prominent lifestyle influencer known for his close associations with billionaires, musicians, and business titans
To his hundreds of thousands of followers across social media platforms, “SoAfrican” (real name Joshua Kojo Anane Boateng) was the embodiment of Ghanaian cool — a lifestyle influencer who moved effortlessly between boardrooms, recording studios, and high-society gatherings.
Known for his trademark hat style and a clothing brand built around personalised jerseys, he had been photographed alongside popular figures including businessman Kelvin Okyere, Afrobeats musician King Promise, and veteran Ghanaian businessman Osei Kwame Despite.
His appeal was rooted in apparent accessibility and generosity. He would gift customised jerseys to celebrities, build genuine-looking friendships with the ultra-wealthy, and document it all on social media.
He cultivated the image of a self-made connector — a young Ghanaian man who had earned his place in elite circles.
That image collapsed on May 12, 2026, when the Ghana Police Service confirmed he had been in custody for nearly a week.
A Pattern of Predatory Behavior
According to the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department, DCOP Lydia Donkor, the Ghana Police Service commenced investigations over allegations of non-consensual sharing of intimate images and online sexual exploitation.
What those investigators uncovered, authorities say, was far removed from the curated lifestyle his social media projected.
In a press conference, DCOP Donkor stated that an arrest was made on 6th May 2026, following a joint intelligence-led operation by the Cyber Crime Unit and the Bureau of National Investigations, BNI.
She noted that SoAfrican drugged unsuspecting female victims using alprazolam, a sedative commonly known as Xanax, sexually abused them, recorded the acts, and shared the videos and images on a Telegram channel called “VIP SLEEP FETISH 2025”.
It was also alleged that SoAfrican frequented nightclubs in 2025, where he seduced, sedated, and sexually assaulted female victims before recording and disseminating their intimate images without their consent.
The Telegram channel, police say, was not merely a repository of this material — it was monetised.
He was traced to his base in East Legon, where he was arrested on May 6, 2026.
The arrest was not publicly confirmed until May 12, when popular Ghanaian blog Gossips24TV, run by Clement Asamoah Yeboah, first broke the story, triggering widespread reaction across Ghanaian social media.
DCOP Lydia Donkor confirmed that the SoAfrican has been arraigned in court as investigations continue.
A Double Life
The nature of the allegations raises uncomfortable questions about how someone allegedly engaged in systematic criminal conduct managed to maintain such a visible and celebrated public profile.
His proximity to figures like Despite and Kelvin Okyere gave him credibility and reach that reinforced his persona as a legitimate businessman and influencer.
He also described himself as a “nephew” of Akosua Serwaa, the first wife of the late Ghanaian highlife legend Daddy Lumba — a familial claim that added layers of cultural prestige to his public identity.
Whether those in his orbit had any knowledge of the alleged conduct remains unknown.
The Legal Road Ahead
At the time of publication, the Ghana Police Service had not confirmed whether charges had been formally filed.
His legal representation had not been publicly identified, and no statement had emerged from his side.
For now, the man who built a following on the promise of connection and generosity faces allegations of a deeply different kind of access — one that, if proven, will define his legacy in ways no jersey ever could.
This article was edited with AI and reviewed by human editors
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