The Ghana Police have announced the arrest of a suspect in the murder of a University of Cape Coast (UCC) student, Innocentia Atsufui Avinu.
According to the Police, the suspect, Michael Mensah, was arrested on June 15, 2026 by the IGP’s Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team in Cape Coast.
In a statement issued by the Ghana Police Service on social media on June 16, 2026 read, “POLICE ARREST SUSPECT FOR THE MURDER OF UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST STUDENT.
The Ghana Police Service has arrested suspect Michael Mensah, aged 39, for the murder of Innocentia Atsufui Avinu.
The suspect was arrested by the IGP’s Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team on 15th June 2026 at about 1915 hours at the Pedu Lorry Station, Cape Coast, following sustained intelligence-led operations.
Preliminary investigation has revealed that on 11th June 2026, at about 1848 hours, the suspect, who claims to be a teacher by profession but also works as a driver, picked the deceased from Ayensu Plaza within the University of Cape Coast (UCC) hostel enclave and took her to Hutchland Beach, where she was last seen.
Investigations continue, and any further development will be duly communicated”.
Meanwhile, a video has surfaced of a traditional leader in Dzodze in the Volta Region who disclosed that she is the sister of the mother of University of Cape Coast (UCC) student, Innocentia Avinu, who was tragically killed, invoking curses.
In a viral video, the traditional leader in Dzodze, Volta Region, home of Innocentia, invoked curses on those responsible for her death, calling for justice and accountability.
According to her, it is not every child that one can kill and go scot-free, calling on the ancestral spirits and river gods as she holds a Schnapp.
Speaking in the viral video, a family member of the late UCC student stated, “I am deeply pained to learn that someone killed Innocentia. She is my elder sister’s daughter. The pain the parents have endured to raise their child to that level is unbearable.
So, I want everyone to know that it is not anybody at all that you can kill and go scot-free”.
“Even if the child has made mistakes and followed a man for this to happen, it is not right. Every lady follows men, and every man is a womanizer. She was not a child. So, with pain, I have invoked my ancestors and the river we live by,” she said in the viral video.
Background
Innocentia Avinu, a 20-year-old student of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), who was reported missing, was found dead on a beach.
Reports suggest the level 200 UCC student was last seen on June 11, 2026, at the Ayensu Plaza Hostel on the UCC campus when she informed friends that she was leaving campus to meet an acquaintance outside the university community.
According to the information gathered, her family launched a search and appealed to the public for assistance; however, her dead body was discovered on June 12, 2026, at Hatchland Beach Resort, near the University of Cape Coast.
Eric-Sylvera Kwadzogah Avorgbedor, a cousin of the deceased, has since confirmed her death in an interview, revealing that the cause of death remains unknown.
“The cause of death is unknown for now. I think there is going to be an autopsy on Monday, so until then, we do not actually know what caused her death. Her body was found at Hatchland Beach,” he said.
Authorities have not yet disclosed full details of the condition of the body. Police say they are treating the case as a serious incident and have begun efforts to establish what led to her death.
Reports suggest the police have launched an investigation into the circumstances of her death.
Chief Inspector Isaac Evans Ettie of the Police Public Affairs Unit in the Central Region stated, “The Dean of Students was informed and together with the police and family members, they proceeded to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital mortuary, where the body was shown to the family and confirmed as that of Innocentia Avinu.
“The body was carefully inspected in the presence of the family members, and there were no physical marks on the body. The regional crime scene team visited the scene and processed it. Meanwhile, the body awaits an autopsy. The case is still under investigation,” Inspector Ettie stated.
Meanwhile, the family of the late Innocentia Atsufui Avinu has refuted reports that their daughter’s body parts were harvested.
On June 14, 2026, in a statement, they described the reports as completely false, fabricated, and deeply painful to the family.
Parts of the statement read, “The family strongly condemns and categorically denies malicious reports circulated by certain online platforms and bloggers claiming that our daughter’s body parts were harvested.
These claims are completely false, fabricated, and deeply painful to the family. We urge the general public to disregard them entirely”, it stated.
See the post below:
POLICE ARREST SUSPECT FOR THE MURDER OF UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST STUDENT
— Ghana Police Service (@GhPoliceService) June 16, 2026
The Ghana Police Service has arrested suspect Michael Mensah aged 39, for the murder of Innocentia Atsufui Avinu. pic.twitter.com/LWnpGJbSpT
