The Ghana Police Service has apprehended a 39-year-old individual named Michael Mensah in relation to the murder of Innocentia Atsufui Avinu, a student at the University of Cape Coast (UCC).
As reported by the police, Mensah was taken into custody by the Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team of the Inspector General of Police on Monday, June 15, 2026, around 7:15 p.m. at the Pedu Lorry Station in Cape Coast. This arrest was the result of what the service characterized as ongoing, intelligence-driven operations.
Initial investigations reveal that on June 11, 2026, at approximately 6:48 p.m., the suspect, who professes to be a teacher but also operates as a driver, collected the deceased from Ayensu Plaza within the UCC hostel area and transported her to Hutchland Beach, where she was last seen.
“Investigations are ongoing, and any further updates will be communicated in due course,” stated the police in an official announcement.
Innocentia Atsufui Avinu, aged 20, was a Level 200 Bachelor of Commerce (Human Resource) student at UCC, residing in a private hostel located in Amamoma, close to the university. Her family originates from Dzodze in the Volta Region.
Her body was found washed up on the shore at Hutchland Beach, near Duakor along the Cape Coast-Takoradi highway, on the morning of Friday, June 12, 2026, after local residents notified the authorities. The Cape Coast District Police Command initiated an investigation and sought public assistance in identifying the body.
She was identified after her roommate provided a photograph to the police. The roommate informed investigators that Avinu had received a phone call, dressed casually, and left their room in the evening, never to return. Family members subsequently confirmed her identity at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital mortuary on Saturday, June 13.
The Central Regional Police Command, in a previous statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Chief Inspector Isaac Evans Ettie, indicated that an initial examination of the body, conducted in the presence of family members, showed no apparent signs of assault. The command also refuted widely circulated allegations that parts of the deceased’s body had been removed, labeling those reports as untrue.
The family of the deceased has separately denounced the organ harvesting allegations as false and urged the public to refrain from disseminating images of her body.
The incident has garnered national attention. The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, characterized the event as profoundly troubling and instructed UCC to collaborate with the Ghana Police Service for a comprehensive investigation. The university has also initiated an internal inquiry and provided counseling services to the deceased’s roommate, classmates, and other affected students. A post-mortem examination is anticipated to clarify the precise cause of death.
