CR: Defilement suspect dies by hanging in Police cell; family demands justice

A 38-year-old man, Emmanuel Cudjoe, has died under strange circumstances while in police custody at the Agyeikrom Police Station in the Central Region, with his family demanding justice and answers over what truly transpired.

Emmanuel Cudjoe was arrested around 5:00 a.m. on May 10, 2026, for allegedly defiling his 11-year-old stepdaughter.

According to the family, Emmanuel called his elder brother around 4:00 a.m, informing him that he had been arrested following allegations made by his girlfriend and was being detained at the Agyeikrom Police Station.

Their mother, Mary Dadzie, reportedly visited the police station around midday but was denied access to her son.

The family later learned that Emmanuel had been accused of having an affair with his girlfriend’s 11-year-old daughter.

The allegation reportedly stated that he had been sexually involved with the child for the past two years, and police allegedly claimed there was a medical report supporting the accusation.

However, tragedy struck on Sunday. Shockingly, the family says they were later informed that Emmanuel had died in custody by hanging himself at around 11 am on the same day he was arrested.

"Police reportedly told the family that Emmanuel committed suicide by hanging himself in the cell using part of a blanket, which he allegedly tore with his teeth before fastening it around his neck," his brother indicated.

The grieving family says, "we are struggling to understand the circumstances surrounding Emmanuel’s death and we are demanding a full investigation and justice," he added.

Emmanuel, a native of Anto in the Shama District of the Western Region, had reportedly relocated to Ayensudo after finding love and starting a family with his girlfriend.

His brother, Isaac Cudjoe told Nhyiraba Paa Kwesi Simpson, the host of Connect FMs Omanbapa Morning Show that the couple initially rented a room together, but after about three months, the woman convinced Emmanuel to move into a room her father had provided for her.

The woman already had two daughters, aged between 8 and 11, and together, they also had a one-year-old daughter.

Relatives say the relationship had been plagued with constant misunderstandings and domestic disputes, prompting several family interventions to restore peace.

The woman’s family had reportedly requested that Emmanuel’s family officially perform marriage rites, and preparations were already underway.

To avoid further tensions, Emmanuel is said to have rented another room at Agyeikrom, where he intended to stay temporarily until the marriage rites were completed.

Police Response

The Central Regional Police Command has confirmed the incident and says investigations are ongoing.

Police say that around 11:00 a.m., officers at the Agyeikrom Police Station discovered that the suspect had allegedly hanged himself in the cell using a strip torn from the edge of the blanket he had been sleeping on.

The Elmina District Police Command and the Regional Crime Scene Management Team reportedly visited the scene and found the suspect suspended against the wall of the cell.

Police stated that there were “no visible marks of violence” on the body and that the ligature was firmly fastened around the deceased’s neck.

The body was later transported to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, where he was officially pronounced dead by medical personnel.

Police say the body has since been deposited at the hospital morgue awaiting autopsy, while investigations continue.

The relatives of the deceased have been informed, according to police.