A Pastor and Two Others Remanded for Attempted Murder of Baby

A pastor and two other individuals have been remanded into custody by the Bibiani District Court for allegedly attempting to bury a five-month-old baby alive at a refuse dump in Abofrem near Bibiani in the Western North Region. The accused are Richmond Frimpong, 36, a pastor also known as Prophet; Beatrice Agyapongmaa, 23, a hairdresser and the baby’s mother; and Emmanuel Appiah. A fourth suspect, Donkor, a 53-year-old farmer, is currently on the run. Frimpong and Agyapongmaa have been charged with conspiracy to commit attempted murder, while Frimpong faces an additional charge of attempted murder. Appiah and the fugitive Donkor are charged with abetment of attempted murder. The court, presided over by Mr Lord Delvin Essandoh, did not take their pleas and denied them bail. According to the prosecution, the baby—now in the custody of the mother’s grandmother—remains at risk. The court has directed the Social Welfare Office to conduct a social enquiry and submit a report within five days. The case has been adjourned to May 5, 2026. Chief Inspector B.O. Agyemang told the court that on April 10, at about 10:00 p.m., a local security guard and Unit Committee Member, Winfred Agbah, received a tip-off about people attempting to secretly bury a child at a refuse dump. He rushed to the scene and allegedly found Frimpong, Appiah and Donkor preparing to bury the baby, who was wrapped in cloth. When questioned, they claimed the child was dead, but upon inspection, the baby was found to be alive. Investigations revealed that Agyapongmaa had sought help from Frimpong over her child’s health condition. The pastor allegedly claimed the baby required spiritual intervention and performed rituals. He later reportedly told her the child would die soon. When the baby remained alive, the suspects allegedly agreed to end the child’s life. Frimpong is said to have taken the baby, later declared it dead, and with the help of the others attempted to bury it before being stopped. The suspects were arrested after the incident was reported to the police. Prosecution says they admitted to the offence in their statements, and a docket is being prepared for the Attorney-General’s advice.