It has been over two months since the tragic death of Joana Deladem Aku Yabani, a promising student of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), whose life was reportedly cut short in a heartbreaking act of violence. The case shook the campus community and drew national attention, igniting serious conversations around student safety, domestic abuse, and institutional response.
But in recent months, the silence around the progress of the case has left many students uneasy
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| Petition and the late Joana |
In a formal petition dated May 26, 2025, addressed to the Registrar of the University, Mr. Yussif Sammy Ibrahim — Minority Leader of the KNUST Students Parliament House and Vice President of the Economics Students Association — has called on the university’s administration to provide a much-needed update on the case.
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| Yussif Sammy Ibrahim and the University Registrar |
In the petition, Mr. Ibrahim commended the Registrar’s office for its early commitment to keeping the student body informed. “It really helped calm students down,” he wrote, referring to the last official update issued on March 17, 2025, which noted that the court had adjourned the case to April 1, 2025, pending the Attorney General's advice.
KNUST mourns the demise of Miss Joana Deladem Yabani, a fourth-year Biological Science student whose lifeless body was found close to the Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies (CEDRES) on Thursday morning.
— KNUST NEWS FILE (@knustnewsfile) February 27, 2025
Investigations are currently ongoing. #KNUSTNewsFile pic.twitter.com/zUgY1J91lR
However, that was the last update — and the silence since then has been deeply concerning.
Adding to the confusion, April 1, 2025 — a date many had anticipated would bring renewed information — coincided with a public holiday, meaning no hearing was held. Since then, no new details have emerged from either the courts or the university, leaving a void of accountability and closure.
“The student body deserves to know how far this case has gone,” Mr. Ibrahim stated. “We also appeal to the management of KNUST to keenly follow this case to the brim and remain committed to ensuring that justice is served to meet the expectations of students and stakeholders.”
THE LETTER
KNUST final-year student Daniel Tuffuor, 21,has been arrested in connection with the death of Joana Deladem Yabani.
— KNUST NEWS FILE (@knustnewsfile) February 27, 2025
Police say CCTV footage led to his identification. He is currently in custody assisting with investigations.#KNUSTNewsFile pic.twitter.com/cU05JvRzek
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