The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has deployed a special team of experienced investigators and intelligence officers to the Central Region to support ongoing investigations into the death of a University of Cape Coast (UCC) student.

The move forms part of efforts by the Ghana Police Service to strengthen its investigative response and establish the circumstances surrounding the death of 20-year-old Innocentia Avinu.

In a statement issued on June 15, 2026, the Police Service said the deployment was intended to reinforce ongoing operations and provide additional technical and intelligence support to investigators in the region.

“The deployment forms part of the broader operational response by the Ghana Police Service to ensure a thorough and coordinated investigative process in the region,” the statement said.

“The team is expected to work closely with regional command structures to strengthen fact-finding efforts and provide additional technical and intelligence support on the ground.”

The Police Service further assured the family of the deceased, the university community and the public that it remains committed to conducting a professional, transparent and diligent investigation.

Innocentia Avinu, a Level 200 student of University of Cape Coast, was reported missing on June 11, 2026.

According to reports, she was last seen at the Ayensu Plaza Hostel on the university campus and was wearing a black dress at the time of her disappearance.

Her family subsequently launched a search and appealed to the public for information that could help trace her whereabouts.

The search ended tragically when a body was discovered at Hatchland Beach Resort near Cape Coast on June 12.

Police later confirmed that the deceased was Innocentia Avinu after family members identified her.

Chief Inspector Isaac Evans Ettie of the Police Public Affairs Unit in the Central Region said a relative first identified a photograph of the deceased at a police station before further confirmation was carried out at the mortuary.

“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 to be that of Innocentia Avinu,” he explained.

Chief Inspector Ettie added that the body was examined in the presence of family members and no physical marks were found.

“The body was carefully inspected in the presence of family members, and there were no physical marks on it. The regional crime scene team visited and processed the scene. Meanwhile, the body is awaiting autopsy. The case is still under investigation,” he stated.

The body remains at the mortuary of Cape Coast Teaching Hospital pending an autopsy, which investigators hope will provide further insight into the cause of death.