Three young siblings have been laid to rest following their tragic demise, reportedly a result of a bedbug fumigation exercise conducted by their uncle in Asawase, a suburb of Kumasi in the Ashanti region.

Three siblings who died from a suspected reportedly died from a fumigation exercise against bedbugs in their room by an uncle in Asawase, a suburb of Kumasi in the Ashanti region.

On Saturday, January 13, 2024, the funeral ceremonies for the departed Mary Magdelene Afua Frans (8 years old), Christian Nana Benin Jacob Frans (5 years old), and Judith Ekua Frans (11 years old) took place.

A poignant and somber atmosphere enveloped the funeral grounds at Asawase Railway Quarters as family members and sympathizers gathered to express their final farewells to the children.

The trio is presumed to have succumbed to the effects of a fumigant during an extended stay at their grandparent's residence in Asawase.

Disinfection against Bedbugs

On December 28, 2023, the three siblings who lived at Parkoso, a suburb of the Asokore Mampong municipality with their mother, visited their grandmother for the Christmas holidays.

While preparing a room for their stay, their uncle, Anthony Frans, sprayed a fumigant, identified as Topstoxin Fumigation tablet, also known as ‘bomb’, to disinfect the room against bed bugs.

But the three siblings, together with their 66-year-old grandmother, Ekua Gyaabena, were found unconscious and rushed to the Manhyia Government Hospital the next morning after sleeping in the room for the night.

Magdalene and Christian however died upon arrival at the hospital, while their grandmother and other sibling, Judith, were hospitalized.

Judith later passed on while on admission.

The incident has since thrown the community into anguish and grief.

“I was informed about the incident by a friend in my electoral area while on a visit to the hospital. I rushed to the ward and realised two of the victims had passed on.

"The grandmother and the eldest niece were also on admission at the Emergency Centre of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for further treatment. I assisted them, and we came to the police station, and the uncle of the deceased who applied the chemical was arrested and detained," recounted Mathew Amissah, Assembly Member for the Asawase East Electoral area.

Uncle provisionally slapped with murder of three

Police in the region detained the uncle of the deceased as it launched investigations to establish circumstances leading to the tragic death of the three.

In his second appearance in court on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, Anthony was slapped with a provisional charge of murder, while prosecution sought ample time to probe the incident.

However, Defense Counsel, Evans Amankwaah, prayed the court for a bail for his client, arguing he deserved the right to be granted bail while investigations continued.

The defence attorney insisted that the incident was poignant and beseeched the police to soften its stance against his client.

Anthony was consequently granted bail of GHȼ20,000 with two sureties by the Asokore Mampong District Court.

The case was adjourned to January 23, 2024.