The Inspector-General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has deployed a special team of seasoned investigators and intelligence officers to the Central Region to support ongoing investigations into the death of a student from the University of Cape Coast.
The deployment forms part of efforts by the Ghana Police Service to enhance its investigative response and determine the circumstances surrounding the death of 20-year-old Innocentia Avinu.
In a statement issued on June 15, 2026, the Police Service said the team had been assigned to strengthen ongoing operations and provide additional technical and intelligence support to investigators handling the case.
According to the statement, the move is intended to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated investigative process, with the team expected to work closely with regional command structures to advance fact-finding efforts and improve operational efficiency on the ground.
The Police Service also assured the family of the deceased, the university community and the general public of its commitment to conducting a professional, transparent and thorough investigation.
Student Reported Missing Before Body Was Found
Innocentia Avinu, a Level 200 student at the University of Cape Coast, was reported missing on June 11, 2026.
Reports indicate that she was last seen at Ayensu Plaza Hostel on the university campus, wearing a black dress. Following her disappearance, her family launched a search and appealed to the public for information that could help locate her.
The search ended tragically on June 12 when a body was discovered at Hatchland Beach Resort near Cape Coast.
Police later confirmed that the deceased was Innocentia Avinu after family members positively identified her.
Police Await Autopsy Findings
According to Chief Inspector Isaac Evans Ettie of the Police Public Affairs Unit in the Central Region, a relative initially identified a photograph of the deceased at a police station before a formal identification process was conducted at the mortuary.
He explained that the Dean of Students was informed and accompanied police officers and family members to the mortuary of the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, where the body was officially identified.
Chief Inspector Ettie further disclosed that an examination of the body conducted in the presence of family members revealed no visible physical injuries.
He noted that the Regional Crime Scene Team subsequently visited and processed the location where the body was found, while investigators continue to gather evidence.
The body remains at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital mortuary pending an autopsy, which authorities hope will provide crucial information regarding the cause of death. Police say investigations into the circumstances surrounding the student’s death are ongoing.
