Abofrem: A pastor and two others who allegedly attempted to bury a five-month-old baby alive at a refuse dump near Bibiani in the Western North Region have been remanded into lawful custody by the Bibiani District Court. The accused individuals are Richmond Frimpong, also known as Prophet, 36, a pastor; Beatrice Agyapongmaa, 23, a hairdresser and mother of the baby; and Emmanuel Appiah. An accomplice, Donkor, a 53-year-old farmer, remains at large.
According to Ghana News Agency, Frimpong and Agyapongmaa have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, specifically attempted murder. Frimpong faces an additional charge of attempted murder, while Appiah and Donkor have been charged with abetment of crime, also to wit attempted murder. The court, presided over by Mr. Lord Delvin Essandoh, did not take their pleas and refused a bail application by counsel for the accused persons.
Chief Inspector B.O. Agyemang, leading the prosecution, informed the court that the baby, currently in the custody of Agyapongmaa's grandmother, remains at risk. He urged the court to place the child in a care home. In response, the court ordered the Social Welfare Office to conduct a social enquiry and submit a report within five days, emphasizing the interest of justice and the welfare of the child. The case has been adjourned to May 5, 2026.
The prosecution revealed that the complainant, Winfred Agbah, a 29-year-old security guard and Unit Committee Member at Abofrem, received information on April 10, at about 2200 hours, that some individuals were attempting to secretly bury a child at a refuse dump. Upon arriving at the scene, Agbah allegedly found Frimpong, Appiah, and Donkor preparing to bury the baby, who was wrapped in cloth and held by Appiah. When questioned, the trio claimed the child was dead, but Agbah realized the child was alive upon inspection.
Frimpong allegedly attempted to persuade Agbah to allow them to proceed, but he refused and took the suspects to the Chief of Abofrem. Investigations uncovered that Agyapongmaa is the biological mother of the baby, who reportedly had an unstable neck since birth. Seeking a remedy, she consulted Frimpong, who told her that the child had been described as 'Nsuoba' and required spiritual intervention. He allegedly asked for items including eggs, schnapps, powder, incense, a fowl, and a cannonball stone for rituals.
After conducting the rituals, Frimpong reportedly assured Agyapongmaa that the baby would die soon and instructed her to return to Kumasi. On April 9, 2026, Agyapongmaa returned, informing Frimpong that the baby was still alive. They then allegedly agreed that euthanasia (mercy killing) was the best option. Frimpong supposedly asked her to leave the child in his room to complete the process and later declared the baby dead. Appiah, who was visiting Frimpong, allegedly assisted in confirming the supposed death.
The prosecution stated that Frimpong, Appiah, and Donkor later took the baby to the refuse dump, where Donkor dug a grave and they attempted to bury the child before Agbah intervened and rescued the baby. The incident was reported to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit at Bibiani, resulting in the arrest of the accused persons. The suspects allegedly admitted the offence in their caution statements, and the police are preparing a duplicate docket for the Attorney-General's Department for advice.