The number of children believed to have been butchered by a former professional footballer who was arrested when a worried dad broke into his home and found his son’s headless corpse has risen to three after cops confirmed that two other heads were recovered from his fridge.

He has also confessed to cutting out his victim’s internal organs and throwing them into a hole in his garden before putting the other body parts in the fridge together with the three heads.

The shocking scenes at the property have resulted in a team of psychologists being sent to the area not just to give counselling to the families of the two identified victims but also to the police officers who have been dealing with the investigation.

The suspect, 28-year-old Richard Appiah, was arrested for the murders in the town of Abesim in the region of Bono in Ghana. He appeared at the Kaneshie District Court in the capital, Accra, on Thursday, 26th August.

At present, he has given no motive for the killing of the children. However, locals have speculated that it was to do with a black magic ritual in order to gain wealth and success.

He is provisionally charged with two counts of murder, though he is suspected of killing at least three boys based on the fact that three human heads and other body parts were found in his fridge. Though only two victims have been identified, cops admit there could be more.

He is believed to have killed his 12-year-old stepbrother, Loius Agyemang, his friend’s 15-year-old son, Stephen Sarpong, and another male minor whose identity has not yet been ascertained.

His crimes were discovered when 56-year-old Thomas Adjei became worried after his son, Louis, failed to come home from the park where he had been playing football on Friday, 20th August.

One of Louis’ friends told Thomas that he had seen Louis leaving the park with his stepbrother, prompting Thomas to force his way into the man’s home, where he found his son’s decapitated body.

The police were called to the scene, where, according to reports, they found three human heads and other body parts in the suspect’s fridge and in a sack.

According to reports, the suspect also led the police to a hole in a bush behind his house, where he claims he hid the victim’s intestines and other body parts.

Appiah was taken into custody, where he currently remains.

Chief Inspector Mercy Aheto said the investigation is ongoing.