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A 26-year-old unemployed man, popularly known as Efutu, has been burnt to death in what is suspected to be an arson attack at a ghetto in Assin Fosu in the Central Region.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, January 9, 2026, when fire engulfed the wooden structure in which the deceased was living. His charred body was discovered after personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service and the police responded to a distress call from residents around 7:00 a.m.
Confirming the incident, the Assin Fosu District Crime Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police Rosemond Duncan, said firefighters were called to the scene to extinguish the blaze, but the structure had already been completely destroyed by the time they arrived.
Some residents suspect foul play, alleging that a group of mechanics operating in the area had earlier threatened to burn Efutu alive or evict him from the structure over accusations that he was stealing from their shops.
One resident claimed the threats were serious, saying the mechanics had openly warned they would burn him or force him out, reinforcing suspicions that the fire may have been deliberately set.
However, other residents believe the fire may have been accidental. They recounted that Efutu was seen earlier behaving erratically while smoking, raising the possibility that a carelessly discarded cigarette may have triggered the blaze.
Following the incident, tensions escalated when some angry youth, believed to be friends of the deceased, confronted police officers with sticks and clubs, demanding the immediate arrest of the suspected mechanics.
To avert further unrest, the district police command requested reinforcement from the Regional Command, the Divisional Police, and the Formed Police Unit.
ASP Duncan confirmed that the body has been deposited at the St Francis Xavier Hospital morgue in Assin Fosu, while investigations continue to establish the exact cause of the fire.
