‘Waiting to die’ – The sad story of a 16-year-old 'wizard' caged by parents for 3 years

Accused of witchcraft by his father and stepmother, sixteen-year-old Samuel Kofi Ntsiful has been locked up in a smelly poorly ventilated room for close to three years.

Samuel Kofi Ntsiful has skin disease that gives a poignant smell, for which reason he was caged in a very dirty small room hence dropping out from Junior High School.

Fed with unwholesome meals as a punishment by his biological father and stepmother, Samuel Kofi Ntsiful who was malnourished has become paralysed.

Upon returning from church and meeting the police (who received a tipoff) in their home conducting investigations, the father of the boy, according to Supt. Mensah got infuriated by the invasion of his home and insisted he had to isolate his son because he was a wizard.

According to Mr Amos Ntsiful, Samuel’s 52-year-old father, the boy’s late biological mother transferred her “witchcraft” to their son thus, the teenager’s rash- and pus-riddled body,

Mr Amos Ntsiful who claims to be a staunch Christian said it was revealed to him in a dream that both his deceased spouse and the little boy were his spiritual adversaries.

Mr Adu Gyamfi, News editor of Mankessim-based Osagyefo FM, who first broke the story, said he could not stand the pungent stench that hit him upon entering the little boy’s confine.

Describing the appalling state of the boy, the Divisional Commander, ACP Acheampong said the boy was being treated as an animal at the time the police got to his confined room.

ACP Acheampong further explained that both the father and the stepmother of the boy hold the belief that since a similar skin disease killed the boy’s mother and the mother was suspected to be a witch, the late mother transferred her witchcraft to the boy.

He said the parents, Amos Ntsiful and Agnes Akweesi, have been cautioned and discharged, and are being investigated for neglect of parental duties and responsibilities.

Meanwhile, Samuel has since been picked up on by the Mfantseman Municipal Social Welfare Department and is currently at the Central Regional Hospital for treatment.