UCC Student’s Family Appeals to Interior Minister Over Stalled Probe

The family of Innocentia Atsufui Avinu, a 20-year-old University of Cape Coast student, is appealing to the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mubarak, to intervene in the stalled investigation into her death. The family's emotional appeal comes as they prepare to lay Innocentia to rest, but her sister insists that the funeral should not mark the end of the search for answers.

Investigation Stalls After Two Months

The Ghana Police Service released its last official statement on June 15, 2026, but since then, the family has been left in the dark about the progress of the investigation. The family was informed on July 22, 2026, to proceed with Innocentia's burial, but this was done verbally without a formal explanation of the status of investigations or whether significant progress had been made in identifying those responsible.

Innocentia's body was discovered on June 13, 2026, two days after she was reported missing, along the shoreline of the university's coastal beach. Her sister, who spoke to the Interior Minister, expressed frustration that the family has struggled to reach investigators assigned to the case, claiming that repeated calls to the officers have gone unanswered.

Questions Surround the Investigation's Progress

The sister questioned whether the investigation would have received greater attention if the deceased had been related to a high-ranking government official or had been a foreign national. "Justice in Ghana should not be a one-week wonder that disappears the moment social media moves on to the next trend," she said. The sister also raised questions about the special team reportedly assigned by the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the case, asking whether the team has been provided with the necessary resources and support to complete its work.

The family is calling for the investigation to remain active and for every necessary effort to be made to identify, arrest, and prosecute anyone found responsible for Innocentia's death. For the family, the ultimate closure will not come from the burial alone, but from knowing what happened to Innocentia and seeing justice served.

A Plea for Intervention

The family is now pleading with the Interior Minister's office to step in and help them get the answers and justice they deserve. The sister's emotional appeal highlights the pain and uncertainty surrounding Innocentia's death and the family's struggle to find closure. "Every citizen's life has value, and every family deserves closure," she said.

As the family prepares to lay Innocentia to rest, they are refusing to let her memory be swept under the carpet. The case has sparked questions about the handling of investigations in Ghana and the need for transparency and accountability in the justice system. The family's appeal for intervention serves as a reminder that justice should not be a one-week wonder, but a long-term pursuit of truth and accountability.

Source: Adom Online