KNUST Murder: Family of late Joana petitions AG, IGP to expedite trial for justice

The family of the late Joana Deladem Yabani, a fourth-year Biological Sciences student of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has petitioned the Attorney General, the Inspector-General of Police and other relevant authorities to expedite the ongoing trial of the suspect linked to her murder.

In a video shared on social media on Wednesday, November 5, under the hashtag #JusticeForJoana, Joana’s four (4) sisters expressed deep frustration over the slow pace of the trial, which they said has been repeatedly delayed by several adjournments.

According to them, these setbacks have prolonged their grief and undermined their hope for justice.

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One of the sisters lamented the continued postponements, saying:

Joana was a young and vibrant life, brutally murdered on the KNUST campus on 27 February 2025. In the months that have followed, we keep asking the same questions. How do we heal from this pain when justice has still not been served? What assurance do we have that our school environments are safe when such violence can occur on our campuses?

Another sister questioned the handling of the case, adding:

We have attended several court hearings after the initial appearance, yet the process keeps being adjourned. This raises a serious concern. What exactly is happening within our judicial system regarding this case? Is there not enough evidence to secure a conviction for the accused by now?

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On what would have been Joana’s 22nd birthday, the family renewed their appeal to the Attorney General, Dr Dominic Ayine, the IGP, Christian Tetteh Yohuno, and the judges handling the matter to fast-track proceedings to ensure justice for their late sister, whose life was tragically cut short.

Background

The Ghana Police Service confirmed the arrest of Daniel Tuffour on 27 February 2025 following preliminary investigations. According to the police, the victim, identified as Yabani Deladem Aku, was found unresponsive behind the Central Laboratory on the KNUST campus in the early hours of the day.

Medical personnel from the KNUST Hospital pronounced her dead at the scene, after which her body was taken to the morgue for preservation and autopsy.

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An examination revealed marks of violence, prompting the arrest of Daniel Tuffour, a Level 400 Biological Sciences student, for questioning.