A 26-year-old man identified as Barron Guda, popularly known as Efutu, has died after being burnt in what is suspected to be an arson attack at Mempeasem, a suburb of Assin Fosu in the Central Region.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, January 8, 2026, when a fire broke out and consumed the wooden structure where the deceased was living.
Fire personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service, together with officers from the Ghana Police Service, responded to a distress call from residents around 7 a.m. However, upon arrival, they discovered that the victim had already died. His body was found badly burnt in the remains of the structure.
Confirming the incident, the Assin Fosu District Crime Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police Rosemond Duncan, said efforts were made to extinguish the fire, but the victim could not be saved.
Some residents have alleged foul play, claiming that a group of mechanics in the area had previously threatened to burn the deceased or force him out of the structure over allegations of theft. These residents believe the fire was deliberately set.
Other residents, however, have dismissed claims of arson, suggesting the blaze may have been accidental. They alleged that the deceased had earlier been seen acting strangely while smoking, raising the possibility that a cigarette may have started the fire.
Following the incident, tension escalated in the area as a group of angry youth, believed to be friends of the deceased, confronted the police, demanding the arrest of the suspected mechanics. To prevent the situation from turning violent, the Assin Fosu District Police Command called in reinforcement from the Regional Command, the Divisional Police, and the Formed Police Unit to restore order.
ASP Duncan said the body has been deposited at the St Francis Xavier Hospital mortuary in Assin Fosu, while police investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the fire.
Source: Graphic Online.
