Missing UCC Student Innocentia Avinu Found Dead; Family Appeals Against Misinformation as Police Continue Investigations

The University of Cape Coast (UCC) community is mourning the death of Innocentia Avinu, a Level 200 BCom Procurement and Supply Chain Management student, who had been reported missing after she was last seen on June 11, 2026.

According to family members, Innocentia disappeared from the Ayensu Plaza Hostel on the UCC campus, where she was last seen wearing a black dress. Following her disappearance, relatives, friends, and members of the university community launched a search and appealed to the public for information on her whereabouts.

The search ended in tragedy when her body was discovered along a beach in Cape Coast. Police received a report in the early hours of June 12 about an unidentified female body found near Hutchland Beach Resort. Officers who responded to the scene found the body lying face down. A preliminary examination reportedly revealed blood from the nose but no visible marks of assault or external injuries.

The body was conveyed to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital mortuary pending identification and an autopsy. Investigators also engaged chief fishermen and coastal communities as part of efforts to establish the identity of the deceased.

On June 13, a family member identified photographs of the deceased at the police station as those of Innocentia Avinu. The identification was later formally confirmed at the mortuary in the presence of the UCC Dean of Students, investigators, and family members.

Police say a further examination conducted with relatives present revealed no physical injuries or signs of violence. The Central Regional Crime Scene Management Team has since processed the location where the body was found, while an autopsy is expected to determine the exact cause of death.

Following news of her death, several unverified claims circulated on social media regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident. However, the family has dismissed the reports and urged the public to refrain from spreading misinformation and speculation.

Friends and colleagues have described Innocentia as a hardworking and determined young woman who balanced her academic pursuits with running a nail technology business.

As investigations continue, the family has appealed to the public to respect Innocentia's memory, avoid sharing unverified information, and allow the appropriate authorities to establish the facts surrounding the tragic incident.