The quiet community of Gyahadze in Winneba has been left in shock following the gruesome murder of Professor Amedeker Mawuadem, a respected academic at the University of Education, Winneba. The tragic loss has sent waves of sorrow through the academic and local community, as police investigations into the case unfold.
The Kaneshie District Court on Monday remanded the main suspect, 33-year-old artist Joshua Kerry Arthur, who is accused of murdering and secretly burying the 71-year-old professor in his own compound.
Arthur, also a resident of Gyahadze, allegedly scaled the wall of the professor’s two-bedroom home at dawn on May 21, 2025, and lay in wait before attacking and killing him later that morning. According to court prosecutors, the suspect buried the professor on his property, packed up some of his belongings, and was preparing to flee in the deceased’s Toyota Fortuner when police intervened.
Chief Inspector Margaret Ofori Boadi, who led the prosecution, detailed how Arthur was discovered hiding in a guava tree after a concerned colleague raised an alarm over the professor’s sudden inaccessibility. A subsequent search of the premises revealed disturbed soil on the compound and blood stains — leading officers to discover the professor’s body wrapped in an academic gown.
The remains were conveyed to the Trauma and Specialist Hospital where death was confirmed, before being transferred to the Police Hospital for preservation and autopsy.
Professor Mawuadem, a long-serving educator, was known for his commitment to academic excellence and mentoring of young minds. News of his tragic end has left students, colleagues, and residents in deep mourning.
The court, presided over by Nana Abena Asoh Owusu-Omenyo, preserved Arthur’s plea and adjourned proceedings to June 23, 2025, to allow further investigations.
As police continue to probe the motives and circumstances behind the killing, the University of Education, Winneba, is expected to hold a memorial service to honour the late professor’s contributions to education and national development.
