How 17-year-old Mfantsipim SHS final-year student committed suicide

The Central Regional Police Command has confirmed the death of Emmanuel Arthur, a 17-year-old final-year student of Mfantsipim Senior High School in Cape Coast.

According to police, the student was found in an uncompleted building at Ola North, a suburb of Cape Coast, after a carpenter working at the site reported the discovery to authorities.

In a statement, the police said officers responded to the report on June 11, 2026, and recovered personal belongings at the scene that assisted in establishing the student's identity.

Items retrieved included a black backpack containing examination materials, among them a Geography Paper 1 mock examination paper bearing the name Emmanuel Arthur. Investigators also recovered two mobile phones and other personal effects.

Authorities at Mfantsipim Senior High School later confirmed that the deceased was a final-year student of the institution.

Police said the student's parents were informed of the incident, and following the completion of the necessary medical and police procedures, the body was released to the family.

The family subsequently took custody of the body and proceeded with burial arrangements.

The police indicated that investigations have concluded that the student died by suicide. However, inquiries into the factors that may have contributed to the incident are continuing.

The incident has generated concern among members of the school community and the wider public.