The Mfantsipim School community is grieving the loss of a 17-year-old final-year student whose body was discovered in an uncompleted building at Ola North in Cape Coast.

The deceased, Emmanuel Arthur, was preparing to sit for the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

According to the Central Regional Police Command, the discovery was made after a carpenter working in the area alerted authorities to the presence of a body in the abandoned structure.

Police officers who visited the scene on June 11, 2026, conducted preliminary investigations and recovered several items believed to belong to the student. These included a black backpack containing study materials, among them a Geography mock examination paper bearing his name, as well as two mobile phones and other personal effects.

The recovered items assisted investigators in establishing the student’s identity. Authorities at Mfantsipim School subsequently confirmed that Emmanuel was enrolled at the school, and his family was informed and later assisted with the identification process.

Police indicated that the body was examined by a pathologist at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital before being released to the family for burial.

Following the recovery operation, the uncompleted building was fumigated as part of public health and safety measures.

Investigators have since concluded that the death was not the result of foul play. However, police say efforts are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The tragic loss has left students, staff, and family members in mourning as the community reflects on the life of the young student.