UCC STUDENT INNOCENTIA AVINU FOUND DEAD AT HUTCHLAND BEACH AS POLICE RULE OUT VISIBLE ASSAULT

The death of University of Cape Coast Level 200 student Innocentia Atsufui Avinu has shocked Ghana, after her body was discovered at Hutchland Beach following a period during which she had been reported missing. The Ghana Police Service confirmed to GBC Ghana Online that no visible assault was detected on the body, and that investigations into the precise circumstances of her death are actively ongoing.

The case took a further distressing turn when false reports spread widely across social media platforms claiming that the student's body parts had been harvested. The family moved swiftly to quash these claims. In a formal statement issued on June 14, 2026, and reported by GhanaWeb, the family stated categorically: "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."

The family also made an urgent plea to the public and student communities to immediately stop sharing images of Innocentia's body, describing such circulation as deeply disrespectful to the deceased and traumatic for the grieving household. They expressed gratitude to UCC management, the student body, and the wider public for condolences and support received since the tragedy emerged.

GhanaWeb confirmed that the Interior Minister Fuseini Donkor personally assured the public that the Ghana Police Service will identify those responsible, stating: "Police will fish out the murderer of the UCC Level 200 student." The Education Minister also issued a formal statement mourning the student and ordering a full investigation, as reported by MyJoyOnline. The Ketu North MP separately called for justice for Innocentia, reflecting the political weight that her death has assumed.

The Ghana Police Service, operating under directives from the Criminal Investigations Department, is conducting forensic and circumstantial investigations. The University of Cape Coast has cooperated fully with law enforcement and counselling support has been extended to fellow students affected by the loss.

The National Union of Ghana Students has called for transparent communication on the investigation's progress, while campus safety advocates have renewed calls for improved security protocols and emergency response systems at residential university campuses across the country.

Sources: GhanaWeb, GBC Ghana Online, MyJoyOnline, Ghana Police Service, University of Cape Coast, National Union of Ghana Students