Former Commander of the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) ACP Rtd. Victor Tandoh has stated that the punishment handed down the driver whose actions caused the lives of 34 persons at Dompoase on the Cape Coast-Takoradi Highway is woefully inadequate.

A Cape Coast Circuit Court has sentenced the driver to one year in prison.

The convict, Mark Mireku, 45, was found guilty on 34 counts of dangerous driving by the court on Monday, June 8, 2020.

He was also fined GH¢17,280 or in default serve an additional 12 years in prison on 18 counts of negligently causing harm.

The court has also banned him from operating as a commercial driver for life.

Commenting further on the matter, ACP Rtd. Tandoh stated that the convicted driver has been lucky for having to go to prison for just a year.

“The prison term is not punitive enough, making an overtaking in a curve is not ordinary inconsiderate driving or careless driving because the law says nobody should overtake a vehicle ahead of him in a curve. Doing so amounts to dangerous driving. I beg of my fellow Police officers if a driver commits a driving offence they should ensure that the punishment is punitive enough. This one-year prison sentence handed this driver is not enough. We will not get careless drivers to drive well if we hand down such low prison terms.”

Background

Mark was driving a Hyundai bus with registration number GN 3780-10 on January 14, 2020 when in an attempt to over-take another vehicle collided with a Man Diesel bus with registration number GR 5704-18.

The accident claimed 34 lives, while 54 others suffered serious injuries.

The deceased included 20 male adults, 11 female adults and three children, made up of two females and a male.