BY Grace Zigah
The family of the late Samuel Aboagye, a Deputy Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and one-time parliamentary candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Obuasi East constituency, has taken legal action against his US-based widow, Abigail Salami Aboagye.
The lawsuit, now before the Obuasi District Court, seeks a compulsory DNA test involving the late politician’s three-year-old daughter to confirm her paternity.
The controversy follows the tragic helicopter crash of August 6, 2025, which claimed the lives of eight people, including Samuel Aboagye.
The Z-9 Chinese made military helicopter, carrying five government officials and three Air Force personnel, was en route to Obuasi for an anti-illegal mining program when it crashed into the Sikaman Forest.
The remains of the victims were burnt beyond recognition, prompting authorities to demand DNA samples from immediate family members to help with identification.
Samuel Aboagye family contacted Abigail Salami shortly after the government’s request, asking her to bring her daughter from the United States to assist with the DNA verification process.
A date was reportedly agreed upon, but when the time came, the widow who had arrived in Accra then, allegedly failed to show up and could not be reached.
Following the funeral and another attempt to carry out the tests, she is said to have returned to the U.S. with the child without fulfilling the request, sparking suspicion and tension within the extended family.
As a result, the Bretua family of Adansi Kwapia—of which the late Samuel Aboagye was a member—has filed a petition at the Obuasi District Court seeking an order to compel Abigail to present the child for the DNA test.
The case, filed under The Republic v. Abigail Salami, was heard on November 11, 2025, and has been adjourned to December 23, 2025.
Speaking to Adom News, the Adansikwapiahene and spokesperson for the Bretua family, Nana Kwabena Gyamra Yiakwan, revealed that the late Aboagye had privately expressed doubts about the child’s paternity long before his death.
“The late Samuel Aboagye expressed concerns about the child’s parentage while alive. After his passing, we only sought scientific confirmation to clear all doubts. Unfortunately, his wife has declined every request for testing,” Nana Gyamra explained.
However, Abigail Salami’s legal representatives have filed a motion urging the court to dismiss the family’s request, arguing that it infringes upon her rights and the privacy of her daughter.
Her lawyers maintain that no family member has the legal authority to demand a DNA test outside of a court order or an official investigative process.
Meanwhile, women’s health advocate Dr. Ntiamoah Mensah has cautioned the public against the growing trend of third-party DNA test demands.
In a statement, Dr. Mensah emphasized that only a competent court, the child’s legal guardian, or a direct administrative requirement can authorize such a test.
“Apart from your partner, a court, or a legitimate administrative process, no one has the right to compel a woman to submit her child for DNA testing,” he stated.
