'He planned it' - Mother of slain KNUST student breaks silence after 1 year

A year after the tragic murder of Joana Yabani, a final-year student of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the mother of the deceased has spoken publicly for the first time.

In a recent discussion on the Women’s Voice show on GTV, shared on social media and sighted by GhanaWeb on March 20, 2026, Rejoice Amakie Yabani, mother of the late Joana Yabani, revealed that the family had suspected someone was planning to harm their daughter.

According to her, on the night before they received the devastating news, they called their daughter and advised her to be cautious about the people she associated with on campus.

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“The guy was planning to send her something so that when she consumed it, she would die. He was planning everything possible to kill this girl. So we advised her to be careful about her friends, what she eats, and the places she goes.

“She told us that she could manage the issues concerning food and friends, but since they were writing exams, she would still need to go out to study. We then advised her not to walk alone,” she said.

Rejoice Yabani further alleged that her daughter’s death was premeditated.

According to her, Daniel Tuffour, an alleged lover of the late Joana Yabani and a suspect in the ongoing murder trial, deliberately planned the act.

Providing further details, she claimed that based on CCTV footage and earlier evidence gathered, Daniel Tuffour had stolen her daughter’s mobile phone before her death.

“It was a planned act, so I don’t support any claims about mental issues. The guy planned everything, including how to move the body. This was someone who was determined to do what he did. He had earlier stolen her phone while she was asleep; perhaps he sent threats and later deleted them.

“The cameras captured everything, and my daughter even reported the matter to the police. There is so much to this case, and it must be discussed,” she stated.

She also alleged that, a year after her daughter’s death, the police and the Attorney-General’s office had failed to keep the family updated on court proceedings.

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“Sometimes we don’t even know when the case is going to court. For almost a year, we’ve been left in the dark. About a week before her first anniversary, when I could no longer bear it, a police officer took us to the Attorney-General’s office in Kumasi. There, we were told they had been looking for the parents all this time.

“But this does not make sense. If anyone tries to cover this up, they have not seen a determined mother before. I will not let this go until I get justice. After the murder, he (Daniel Tuffour) even went to write an exam. We don’t even know which cell he is being held in,” she added.

Watch the video below:

JHM/AM

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