Man burnt to death in suspected arson attack at Assin Fosu

A 26-year-old man, Barron Guda, popularly known as Efutu, has been burnt to death in a suspected 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 fire engulfed the wooden structure in which the deceased lived.

The charred body of the victim was found after personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service and the Ghana Police Service responded to a distress call from residents at about 7am.

Confirming the incident, the Assin Fosu District Crime Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police Rosemond Duncan, said firefighters were called in to douse the blaze, but the victim had already died by the time they arrived.

Some residents who spoke to the media suspect foul play, alleging that a group of mechanics in the area had earlier threatened to burn the deceased or eject him from the structure over accusations of theft.

“The mechanics warned that they would burn him or drive him out. That is why we believe the fire was deliberately set,” a resident alleged.

However, other residents disputed the claims of arson, suggesting that the fire may have been accidental. According to them, the deceased had earlier been seen behaving erratically while smoking, raising suspicion that a cigarette might have ignited the fire.

Tension rose in the area following the incident, as some angry youth, believed to be friends of the deceased, confronted the police with sticks and clubs, demanding the arrest of the suspected mechanics.

To prevent the situation from escalating, the Assin Fosu District Police Command requested reinforcement from the Regional Command, Divisional Police and the Formed Police Unit to restore calm.

ASP Duncan said the body had been deposited at the St Francis Xavier Hospital morgue in Assin Fosu, while investigations had commenced to establish the cause of the fire.