The incident, which occurred last Saturday at Akyempim in the Central Region, is suspected to have been deliberately planned and executed by the family’s head, Yaw Afriyie, popularly known as Batman, who was reportedly having potency issues and had suspected his wife of adultery.
According to investigators, the tragic event was the culmination of a long, abusive marriage marked by repeated violence and unresolved conflict. Afriyie, a farmer and small-scale miner, had reportedly subjected his wife, Ama Dapaah, and their children to years of severe physical assault.
Community members described the household as one frequently torn apart by fear, intimidation, and trauma.
The abuse had become so extreme that Afriyie was recently sentenced to three months in prison for causing serious injuries to two of his children after he allegedly threw a weapon intended for his wife, which struck the children instead. Despite the violent history, Mrs. Dapaah is said to have pleaded with the court for leniency, explaining that he was the family’s main provider.
Police sources indicate that Afriyie allegedly locked his wife, five children, and a grandchild in their room before setting the house on fire. All seven family members were burnt to death.
The suspect was later found hanging on a nearby cocoa farm, believed to have taken his own life shortly after the attack.
