- Family of KNUST student Joana Yabani, allegedly murdered in February 2025, appeals for faster trial and justice
- They urge the IGP, Attorney General, and judges to expedite proceedings after multiple adjournments
- Appeal coincides with Joana’s 22nd birthday, marked with grief instead of celebration
The family of Joana Yabani, a Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) student who was allegedly murdered on campus in February 2025, has made a heartfelt appeal for justice.
They are calling on Ghana’s Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Attorney General, and the judges handling the case to expedite proceedings and bring the matter to a swift and fair conclusion.
According to the family, despite several court appearances, the case has faced multiple adjournments, leaving them in distress and uncertainty.
“This raises a serious concern — what exactly is happening with our judicial system regarding this case? A swift resolution is imperative. Is justice delayed, justice denied? We appeal to the IGP, the Attorney General, and the judges handling our sister’s case. Cases like this must be treated with urgency,” they pleaded.
Their appeal coincided with Wednesday, November 5, 2025 — the day that would have marked Joana’s 22nd birthday. The family described the day as bittersweet, filled with grief instead of celebration.
In an emotional video statement, Joana’s sisters reflected on the eight months of pain and frustration they have endured due to the slow pace of the judicial process and the repeated adjournments delaying justice for their sister.
“Today, instead of celebrating a future that was stolen, we are mourning the loss of our innocent sister. Her memory remains a light to us, yet also a source of deep sorrow as we continue to seek answers and, most importantly, justice,” one of her sisters said.
Joana Yabani, a final-year Biological Sciences student, was found dead around 5:00 a.m. on February 27, 2025, near the KNUST Disability and Rehabilitation Centre by campus security.
She was allegedly strangled by a fellow student, believed to have been her boyfriend, who remains in police custody as investigations continue.
