The docket on the alleged murder of a seven-year-old girl at Wassa Nkyirifi in the Western Region by his uncle Augustine Afari and a spiritualist named Osei Kofi has been sent to the Attorney General’s office for legal counsel.
In connection with the alleged murder of a young girl for money rituals, police detained two suspects: spiritualist Osei Kofi alias Agya Osei and small-scale miner Augustine Afari, both 22.
The deceased girl, Spendylove Adjei, attended Wassa Nkyirifi D/A Primary School.
Spendylove Adjei, the victim’s biological father who is also a small-scale miner in Wassa Agyakuso, claims that he was sent to Spendylove about eight months ago, she was taken to her grandma Abena Obenewaa, who lives in Wassa Nkyirifi to attend school.
Spendylove, who passed away on July 21, 2023, became ill and was unable to attend school.
As she went to work on a farm, her grandma left her in the custody of her son, the suspect Augustine Afari.
On the same day, she came back about 2:00 pm but was unable to locate the grandchild.
When questioned, suspect Augustine Afari admitted that he also left Spendylove at home to make a purchase. He is consequently unaware of her location.
The grandma looked in every nook and cranny of the neighborhood but was unsuccessful, forcing her to tell the father of the dead girl who had come to the neighborhood to help with the search.
Kenneth Boadi, an assemblyman from the neighborhood, was made aware of the occurrence.
He suggested that the family files a formal complaint at the police station to have Augustine Afari cautioned.
Augustine Afari was detained and taken to Wassa Akropong Police Station about 3 o’clock the same day.
He was released on police investigation bail after disputing the accusation made against him during the interrogation.
According to information obtained by Starr News, on August 1, 2023, Pastor James Coffie Nkansah of Dunkwa-On-Offin told the family and police that the culprit, Augustine Afari, had confessed to him that he had slain his niece Spendylove.
Agya Osei, a spiritualist, told him to kill her and deliver her head for a ritualistic payment.
The spiritualist also offered him an amulet in the form of a swallowable stone, instructed him to bring sachet water for the ritual bath as well.
Augustine stated that after the ritual washing he was possessed and suddenly turned violent and ravenous for blood. As a result, when his ailing niece was put in his care, he repeatedly struck her with a cutlass until she passed out.
The dead was then taken by suspect Augustine Afari to an abandoned galamsey spot in the bush, 120 meters from their home, where he beheaded her.
He dug a hole, buried the headless body in it, wrapped the head in a black plastic bag, and concealed it in a bush so that he could later deliver it to the spiritualist as instructed.
But at that point, he was taken into custody and given bail; as a result, he was unable to transmit the victim’s head as intended.
He sent the victim’s head to the spiritualist the following day at 9:00 pm after receiving a Police enquiry bail, but was advised to bring it back and bury it where the victim’s corpse was buried instead because the money ritual wouldn’t work.
Both Augustine Afari and the medium were taken into custody after being arrested and sent to the Wassa Akropong Police station.
The unearthed body and its components were placed at the mortuary for additional examination.
The two defendants have been charged and remanded by the court, and the docket has been forwarded to the office of the Attorney General for guidance.
