A 38-year-old man who had been arrested over allegations of defiling his 11-year-old stepdaughter has reportedly died while in Police custody at Agyei Krom in the Central Region.
The deceased, identified as Emmanuel Cudjoe, was said to have been arrested in the early hours of Saturday, May 10, 2026, at about 5:00 a.m. in connection with the alleged sexual abuse case.
Police sources disclosed that a few hours after his arrest, at approximately 11:00 a.m., officers on duty were alerted to an incident inside the station cells. The Counter Non-Commissioned Officer reportedly informed the Station Officer that the suspect had allegedly taken his own life.
According to preliminary information gathered by investigators, the suspect was found hanging against the wall of the cell using a strip torn from the edge of a blanket he had reportedly slept on.
Following the discovery, personnel from the Elmina District Police Command, together with the Central Regional Crime Scene Management Team, visited the station to examine the scene and commence investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death.
Police investigators indicated that an initial inspection of the body did not reveal any visible signs of assault or external injuries apart from the mark around the neck believed to have been caused by the ligature.
Emmanuel Cudjoe, a carpenter and native of Ayensudo, a suburb of Elmina, was later conveyed to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital. Medical officers at the facility reportedly confirmed him dead on arrival.
His body has since been deposited at the hospital morgue awaiting autopsy, while Police continue investigations into both the alleged defilement case and the circumstances leading to his death in custody.
