Michael Mensah, 39, has been arrested by the Ghana Police Service on suspicion of murdering Innocentia Atsufui Avinu.
Mensah was picked up by the Inspector General of Police’s Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team at the Pedu Lorry Station in Cape Coast on Sunday, June 15, 2026, at approximately 7:15 p.m., according to the police.
What the service said “sustained, intelligence-led operations” preceded the arrest.
According to preliminary investigations, on June 11, 2026, at around 6:48 p.m., the deceased was picked up at Ayensu Plaza within the UCC dormitory enclave by the suspect, who also works as a driver.
The suspect then drove her to Hutchland Beach, where she was last seen.
“Investigations continue and any further development will be duly communicated,” the police stated in a statement.
Twenty-year-old Innocentia Atsufui Avinu lived in a private hostel in Amamoma, close to UCC, while pursuing a Level 200 Bachelor of Commerce (Human Resource) degree. Her family is from the Volta Region’s Dzodze.
After locals notified the authorities, her body was found washed ashore at Hutchland Beach, close to Duakor on the Cape Coast-Takoradi route, early on Friday, June 12, 2026.
Investigations were started by the Cape Coast District Police Command, which also asked the public for assistance in identifying the body.
Her roommate reported her to the police with a photo, which led to her identification.
Investigators were informed by the roommate that Avinu had gotten a call, dressed casually, and left their room in the evening without coming back. On Saturday, June 13, family members formally verified her identity at the mortuary of Cape Coast Teaching Hospital.
In a previous statement issued by Chief Inspector Isaac Evans Ettie, the Central Regional Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, the command stated that no obvious signs of assault were found during the body’s initial inspection, which was done in front of family members.
Additionally, the leadership denied widely reported allegations that portions of the deceased’s body had been taken, calling them untrue.
Separately, the deceased’s family urged people to discontinue posting pictures of her body and denounced the organ harvesting allegations as untrue.
The death attracted national attention.
Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister of Education, called the occurrence extremely upsetting and ordered UCC to collaborate with the Ghana Police Service on a thorough investigation.
Additionally, the institution has launched an internal investigation and offered counselling to the deceased’s housemate, fellow students, and other impacted students.
It is anticipated that a post-mortem examination will assist in determining the precise cause of death.
Source: newsthemegh.com