8 children orphaned as pastor beheads wife and commits suicide in Trabuom

Residents of Trabuom, in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region, have been left devastated following a tragic murder-suicide involving a local pastor and his wife.

The incident occurred on Saturday, 28 September 2024, when Victor Appiah, a 50-year-old pastor and founder of the End Time Rapture Family Church, allegedly killed his 46-year-old wife, Akua Emelia, by beheading her on a cassava farm.

According to reports, after committing the brutal act, Victor took his own life by ingesting poison. The couple, who were parents to eight children, had a troubled history of ongoing domestic disputes. Akua had previously left the marriage due to these issues, but family members revealed that Victor had recently persuaded her to return.

Akua’s brother, Kofi Bonsu, provided further details on the tragic event. He explained that, on the day of the incident, Victor instructed Akua to collect cassava from a nearby farm. It was there, according to Bonsu, that Victor ambushed her and fatally severed her head with a machete. Bonsu expressed sorrow over how the couple’s brief reconciliation had turned deadly. "My sister had left her husband due to some misunderstandings, but he convinced her to return. Little did we know it was a trap," he quoted to have said.

In a chilling development, Victor reportedly contacted Akua’s mother after the murder, confessing to the crime and asking the family to retrieve her body from the farm.

Police have since launched an investigation into the events, but the community remains in deep shock. Residents of Trabuom described Victor as a well-respected figure, known for preaching messages of love and forgiveness. Many are struggling to reconcile his public persona with the horrific crime he allegedly committed.

"This is unbelievable. Pastor Victor was always preaching about love and forgiveness. We never suspected he was capable of such evil," one resident is quoted as saying in disbelief.

The deaths of Victor Appiah and Akua Emelia have left their eight children orphaned and raising concerns about hidden domestic violence.