A tragic incident has occurred at Denkyira Akyempim in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality of the Central Region, where a man allegedly set his wife, five children, and a seven-month-old grandchild ablaze before taking his own life.
The suspect, identified as Yaw Afriyie, reportedly carried out the act in the early hours of Saturday, November 1, 2025, while the victims were asleep in a single-room apartment.
According to eyewitness accounts, Afriyie allegedly locked the door, poured a substance suspected to be petrol, and set the room on fire, burning all seven family members beyond recognition. He is said to have fled the scene afterward and later hanged himself in a nearby cocoa farm.
Sources indicate that the suspect and his wife had been facing marital challenges, though the motive behind the horrific act remains unknown.
Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service and security agencies in Dunkwa-on-Offin arrived at the scene but were unable to rescue the victims.
The Assembly Member for the area, Raymond Arthur, confirmed the incident, describing it as a heartbreaking tragedy that has thrown the entire community into shock and mourning.
The bodies have since been deposited at the Dunkwa Government Hospital morgue for autopsy, while police investigations are underway.
