Police Nab Pastor Over Infant Burial Attempt
Law enforcement operatives have arrested the Head Pastor of Anointed Grace Prayer Ministry, Richmond Frimpong, together with an accomplice, for allegedly attempting to inter a five-month-old infant alive at Abofrem in the Ashanti Region. The apprehension has sent shockwaves through religious and civil society circles, reigniting urgent discourse on ritual crimes and child protection.
According to a Ghana Police Service situational bulletin, swift intelligence-led intervention foiled the act after residents alerted authorities to suspicious activity on the outskirts of the community. Officers arrived at the scene and rescued the baby unharmed before taking the suspects into custody for interrogation. The infant is currently receiving medical evaluation and psychosocial support under the care of the Department of Social Welfare.
Community witnesses described scenes of bewilderment as congregants and bystanders confronted the suspects prior to police arrival. According to the Ashanti Regional Police Command statement, preliminary findings suggest the alleged act was linked to directives purportedly issued during a spiritual exercise. Investigators have since cordoned off the site to preserve forensic evidence, while the suspects remain in custody pending formal charges.
Abofrem, a predominantly agrarian enclave in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District, has seen sporadic cases of faith-based abuses surfacing in recent years, prompting periodic sensitisation campaigns by child rights advocates. According to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection memorandum, ritual offences involving minors attract severe penalties under the Children’s Act and the Criminal Offences Act. The Ministry has reiterated its zero-tolerance posture toward practices that endanger minors under the guise of spiritualism.
The incident is expected to intensify calls for tighter regulatory scrutiny of emerging religious outfits and enhanced community vigilance mechanisms. Prosecutors are compiling dockets for possible charges including attempted murder and child endangerment, while the clergy’s umbrella bodies have condemned the alleged conduct. The case will likely become a litmus test for the state’s capacity to balance constitutional freedoms with child safeguarding imperatives.
Richmond Frimpong, Anointed Grace Prayer Ministry, Abofrem, Ashanti Region, child protection, Ghana Police Service, ritual crime, infant rescue, Department of Social Welfare, religious abuse, attempted murder, Ministry of Gender
Source: Ghana Police Service
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Author: Stella Sunu
