A man, believed to be in his late twenties, has died in the Densu river.
He was accused of defiling a 10-year-old girl at Jumapo, a town near Koforidua.
The drowning happened while locals were reportedly preparing to hand him over to the police for questioning.
The exact circumstances leading to the drowning are currently unclear.
The Ghana Police Service is investigating the incident.
Further details will be provided as the investigation progresses.