Boy losing fingers after ‘Pastor’ scalds palm with anointing oil
It is reported that a seventeen-year-old Junior High School graduate, identified as Joseph Osei Boadi is losing his right fingers after a self-styled Pastor scalded his palm in anointing oil to prove his innocence or otherwise over missing GH¢600.
The incident is reported to have occurred at Adansi Nsokote near the Ofoase Ayirebi area on a border between the Eastern and Ashanti regions.
Joseph is currently on admission at the Akyem Oda Government Hospital in the Eastern region.
According to the mother of the victim, Emelia Adutwumwaa, her sister In-law with whom she lives in the same house in the community claimed her Ghc600 had gone missing from her room.
The sister In-law Yaa Sarfoa accused Joseph but despite several denials, she insisted on bringing the self-styled Pastor for mystical rituals to fish out the suspect.
The self-styled Pastor scalded anointing oil on the floor and after incantations, asked the boy to keep his right palm in it for 15 minutes which he obliged to prove his innocence.
“Nothing happened after 15 minutes. So the Pastor asked him to remove his hand from the scalding anointing oil. However, my son started complaining at night that his palm and fingers have been scalded. His condition worsened a few days later as the fingers chared” the mother said
A report was lodged at Akyem Amantia Police station where the Pastor was arrested but the Assembly member intervened for his release for an amicable settlement which was granted by the Police leaving the suspect to walk freely.
Noticing that the condition of the boy was not improving after several medical interventions at a primary healthcare facility, the victim was taken to Oda Government Hospital on Monday, March 27, 2023, where he is receiving treatment.
The despicable incident has prevented the victim from taking steps to be admitted into a Senior High School he has been posted to.
Meanwhile, the department of social welfare visited the victim to commence an investigation into the incident.