The Winneba Magistrate Court has remanded Joshua Karry Arthur, the prime suspect in the gruesome murder of Professor Mawuadem Amedeker, a senior lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), into police custody as investigations continue into the chilling case that has rattled the Gyahadze community in the Effutu Municipality.
Arthur was arrested on Thursday, May 22, at the residence of the late professor, where police later discovered and exhumed the buried body of the academic after weeks of him being reported missing. The decomposing remains were found just meters from his home, following persistent efforts by the police and the victim’s family to uncover his whereabouts.
According to the Ghana Police Service, Arthur was found in possession of several items belonging to the deceased, including a 50-inch television, a laptop, two Samsung smartphones, and a car key to a Toyota Fortuner. These discoveries linked him directly to the crime scene.
The body of Professor Amedeker has since been deposited at the Trauma and Specialist Hospital morgue in Winneba for autopsy and further forensic examination.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the Gyahadze community, with many residents expressing fear and disbelief over the brutal killing of the respected lecturer. The police, led by ACP Ibrahim Opoku, have since intensified security presence in the area to restore calm and reassure residents.
ACP Opoku revealed that the police first received a report of the lecturer’s disappearance on Wednesday, May 21, and began immediate investigations. A young man was initially picked up for questioning but later vanished, prompting a return visit to the lecturer’s home. It was there that officers discovered the shallow grave in the backyard.
“This is a deeply tragic and shocking event,” ACP Opoku told the Ghana News Agency, emphasizing that investigations are ongoing and urging the public to remain calm while assisting police with any relevant information.
Joshua Arthur is expected to reappear before the court after police conclude their preliminary investigations.
