UDS student sentenced to death for murder of love rival
By DL News
Published
1 min read
The incident, which occurred in September 2024, was rooted in a romantic dispute. According to court findings, Nurudeen’s former girlfriend—also a student at UDS—had ended their relationship and begun dating the victim.
A Computer Science student of the University for Development Studies (UDS), Nyankpala campus, Salifu Nurudeen, has been sentenced to death by the Tamale High Court for the murder of fellow student Wumpini Mohammed Zakiu.
The incident, which occurred in September 2024, was rooted in a romantic dispute. According to court findings, Nurudeen’s former girlfriend—also a student at UDS—had ended their relationship and begun dating the victim.
On September 25, Wumpini was found dead with multiple stab wounds, and his phone was reported missing. Subsequent investigations by the police cybercrime unit traced the phone to Nurudeen, where it was discovered hidden under his bed.
Further evidence revealed that Nurudeen had used Wumpini’s phone to send deceptive messages—one to impersonate a breakup with the girlfriend, and another to Wumpini’s friend—likely in an attempt to mislead others after the crime.
Police arrested Nurudeen after luring him to Jubilee Park, where he admitted to sending the text messages but denied involvement in the killing.
After a full trial, the Tamale High Court found him guilty of murder, and he was sentenced to death by hanging, the maximum penalty under Ghana’s criminal code for murder.
The case has sent shockwaves across the university community, with students and faculty expressing grief and concern over the tragic end of a campus relationship turned deadly.
