Mourners and sympathizers at the funeral of Justine Agbenu, one of the girls who tragically died in the East Legon motor accident, have expressed their outrage at comments made by Archbishop Salifu Amoako in the aftermath of the accident.
The Archbishop, who is the Head pastor of Alive Chapel International Ministries, is the father of 16-year-old Elrad Amoako, who crashed his white Jaguar into a Honda Acura the 12-year-old girls were travelling with, killing them on the spot.
During a sermon at Alive Chapel International Ministries on October 20, 2024, Archbishop Amoako called for an end to public commentary on the incident, stating that his son did not commit murder but was only involved in an unforeseen and tragic accident.
However, at Justine’s funeral on October 23, 2024, some mourners voiced their disapproval of his remarks.
One mourner told GhanaWeb, “Terrible, terrible comment, insensitive comment… No common sense, he should just keep quiet. You don’t say things like that when parents are grieving. He should put himself in their shoes and think of how he would have felt if people said comments like that. Very nonsensical. If he is a man of God, he should know when silence is needed.”
Another sympathizer added, “You cannot apologize in one breath and in the other breath say something that shows no remorse… the damage is irreparable, so to say what he said is beyond pardon. He should have said something better than what he said. It’s unfortunate that a reverend priest would say something like that.”
Regarding the question of whether justice should be sought for the deaths, one mourner stated, “You can forgive him but the law should take its course. If there is any punishment to be given, it should be delivered.”
Another added, “Whatever it is, the wheels of justice should not grind slowly and should deal with those who are culpable.”
The burial service, held on October 23, 2024, at Christ the King Catholic Church in Accra, was attended by numerous personalities from various walks of life, all coming to pay their last respects.
Family, friends, and classmates of Justine were in tears as they read tributes and laid wreaths in her memory.
Justine Agbenu and her friend Maame Dwomoh were involved in a fatal car crash on Saturday, October 12, 2024, in East Legon.
A candlelight vigil was held for victims on Friday, October 18, at the intersection of Dzane Ashie Street and Mensah Wood Avenue, where the accident occurred.
The aftermath
Following the incident, Archbishop Salifu Amoako and his wife, Mouha Amoako, were arrested on October 15 and later granted bail of ¢50,000 each.
Criticism of the Archbishop intensified after videos of him calling for an end to public commentary on the matter went viral.
Watch the video below:
Watch more videos from the funeral of Justine Agbenu below:
