UDS student gets life sentence over campus love triangle murder
UDS student gets life sentence in a murder case that shocked Ghana’s academic and legal communities.
Salifu Nurudeen, a Computer Science student at UDS Nyankpala campus, now faces life behind bars. The Tamale High Court found him guilty of murdering fellow student Wumpini Mohammed Zakiu.
The motive? A toxic love triangle.
Nurudeen’s girlfriend had ended their relationship. She had moved on with Wumpini, the victim. That shift in affection sparked rage.
On September 25, 2024, police discovered Wumpini’s lifeless body, covered in stab wounds. His phone had vanished.
Later, cybercrime investigators traced the missing phone. They found it under Nurudeen’s bed.
That discovery sealed his fate.
Nurudeen had used the device to send deceptive messages. He posed as Wumpini and texted the girlfriend, ending their new relationship. He also messaged one of Wumpini’s friends.
Eventually, police lured him to Jubilee Park. He walked into custody. Nurudeen admitted sending the messages but denied committing murder.
Still, the evidence convinced the court.
Tamale High Court handed him a life sentence, closing a painful chapter for the victim’s family and the university community.
But the story didn’t end there.
Shortly after the verdict, the University for Development Studies (UDS) released a sharp rejoinder. The school condemned misleading media headlines that suggested the crime took place on campus.
According to UDS, no part of the incident occurred on university grounds. At the time of the killing, the school was officially on break. All students had returned home.
“These reports are not only inaccurate but unfair and potentially damaging,” the university’s statement read.
UDS urged journalists to verify facts and respect institutional integrity.
This case leaves behind a hard truth: emotional recklessness can turn deadly when jealousy, deception, and violence take center stage. One student lost his life. Another lost his freedom. A university fights to clear its name.
Now, Ghana watches—reminded that behind every love story lies a choice: control your emotions or be consumed by them.
