Pastor, two others remanded over alleged attempt to bury infant alive in Bibiani.
A district court in the Western North Region has remanded a pastor and two others into custody over allegations that they attempted to bury a five-month-old baby alive at a refuse dump near Abofrem, a community in Bibiani.
The accused — Richmond Frimpong, also known as Prophet, 36; Beatrice Agyapongmaa, 23, a hairdresser and the child’s mother; and Emmanuel Appiah — are facing various charges linked to the incident. A fourth suspect, Donkor, a 53-year-old farmer, is currently on the run.
Frimpong and Agyapongmaa have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime, to wit attempted murder, while Frimpong faces an additional count of attempted murder. Appiah and the fugitive Donkor have been charged with abetment of crime, to wit attempted murder.
The court, presided over by Mr Lord Delvin Essandoh, did not take their pleas and denied a bail application by defence counsel.
Chief Inspector B.O. Agyemang, who is leading the prosecution, told the court that the child — currently in the care of the maternal grandmother — remains vulnerable and requested that the court consider placing the infant in a care facility.
The court subsequently directed the Social Welfare Office to conduct a social enquiry and submit a report within five days to guide further decisions in the interest of the child’s welfare. The case has been adjourned to May 5, 2026.
According to the prosecution, the incident came to light on April 10 at about 10:00 p.m., when a security guard and Unit Committee member, Winfred Agbah, received information that individuals were attempting to secretly bury a baby at a refuse dump in Abofrem.
Upon arriving at the scene, he allegedly found three of the suspects preparing to bury the child, who had been wrapped in cloth. Although they claimed the baby was dead, he reportedly discovered the infant was still alive after inspecting the body.
Prosecutors said Frimpong allegedly attempted to convince the complainant to allow them to proceed, but he refused and instead escorted the suspects to the local chief.
Investigations, the court heard, suggest that Agyapongmaa had sought help for the child, who reportedly had a medical condition affecting the neck. She was allegedly referred to Frimpong for spiritual intervention.
The prosecution said Frimpong told her the child had been described as “Nsuoba” and requested several items for ritual purposes, including eggs, schnapps, powder, incense, a fowl and a cannonball stone.
After the rituals, Frimpong allegedly assured the mother that the baby would die soon. When the child remained alive, prosecutors said the group later agreed that euthanasia (mercy killing) was the best option.
Frimpong is alleged to have taken custody of the baby to “complete the process” and subsequently declared the child dead, with Appiah said to have supported that claim.
Prosecutors said the suspects later transported the baby to the refuse dump, where a grave had been prepared before the intervention of the complainant.
The case was reported to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) in Bibiani, leading to the arrest of the accused persons.
According to the prosecution, the suspects admitted the offence in their caution statements, and a duplicate docket is being prepared for the Attorney-General’s Department for advice.
