The Catholic Diocese of Konongo-Mampong in the Ashanti region has suspended a priest indefinitely for allegedly abandoning his post without permission and becoming unreachable.

The sanction bars him from performing priestly duties.

The priest, Rev. Fr. Samuel Adapore, until now the Rector of St. Anthony of Padua Rectorate at Nkwantakese in the Ashanti Region, was handed a suspension with effect from Monday, 24 August 2026.

The sanction was announced in a letter signed by the Bishop of the Diocese, Most Rev. John Opoku-Agyemang, and addressed to all clergy and the faithful.

A suspension a divinis is a canonical penalty in the Catholic Church which forbids a cleric from administering sacraments publicly, including celebrating or concelebrating Mass or officiating at other liturgical services.

What the Diocese alleges

According to the letter published on Facebook, the decision was taken "with a heavy heart but a great sense of duty to Holy Mother Church" in consultation with the College of Consultors.

The Diocese says Fr. Adapore took a unilateral decision to go on leave of absence and abandoned his pastoral ministry at Nkwantakese without legitimate permission.

It also indicated that he removed all his personal belongings from the mission house at Nkwantakese without informing anyone.

The statement added that as of now, the priest has "blocked all access to him" and that his immediate family members have maintained that none of them knows his whereabouts.

The Bishop called on the faithful to remember the priest in their prayers.

The Catholic Diocese of Konongo-Mampong, with its see in Mampong-Ashanti, covers a large part of the Ashanti region.