The Ghana Police Service has arrested a 39-year-old man, Michael Mensah, over the alleged murder of University of Cape Coast (UCC) student, Innocentia Atsufui Avinu.
According to the police, the suspect was apprehended by the Inspector General of Police’s Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team on Sunday, June 15, 2026, at approximately 7:15 p.m. at the Pedu Lorry Station in Cape Coast. The arrest followed what authorities described as sustained intelligence-led operations.
Preliminary investigations suggest that on June 11, 2026, at about 6:48 p.m., Mensah—who reportedly claims to be a teacher but also works as a driver—picked up the deceased from Ayensu Plaza within the UCC hostel enclave. Police say he subsequently drove her to Hutchland Beach, where she was last seen alive.
“Investigations continue and any further development will be duly communicated,” the police said in a statement.
The victim, Innocentia Atsufui Avinu, was a 20-year-old Level 200 Bachelor of Commerce (Human Resource) student at UCC. She lived in a private hostel at Amamoma, a community near the university, and hailed from Dzodze in the Volta Region.
Her body was discovered on the morning of Friday, June 12, 2026, after it was washed ashore at Hutchland Beach near Duakor along the Cape Coast–Takoradi Highway. Residents who spotted the body promptly alerted authorities.
Following the discovery, the Cape Coast District Police Command launched an investigation and appealed to the public for assistance in identifying the deceased.
The breakthrough came when Avinu’s roommate reported to the police with a photograph that helped investigators establish her identity. According to the roommate, the student had received a phone call before leaving their room casually dressed on the evening of her disappearance. She never returned.
Family members later confirmed her identity at the mortuary of the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital on Saturday, June 13, 2026.
Before the discovery of her body, her disappearance had generated concern among students and friends, leading to informal search efforts within and around the university community.
The tragic incident has left the University of Cape Coast community in mourning, with students and staff expressing shock and sadness over her death. Many have called for a thorough investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and ensure justice is served.
Police say investigations are ongoing, with authorities expected to provide additional information as the case develops. For now, efforts remain focused on establishing the exact cause of death and providing answers to the bereaved family and the wider university community.
