General News of Saturday, 18 January 2020

Source: ghananewsagency.org

Driver who caused the Dompoase accident charged

File photo File photo

The surviving driver of the Dompoase accident who was discharged from the hospital on Thursday and placed in police custody was on Friday remanded into Police custody by a Circuit Court in Cape Coast.

Mark Mireku, 45, the driver of the Hyundai Bus, allegedly did a wrongful overtaking leading to the gory accident which claimed several lives and injured many others.

His plea was not taken and has been provisionally charged with dangerous driving and would to re-apear in court on Thursday January 31.

His family were hoping to get him a bail to enable him to seek further medical care but the court presided over by Mr James Botah, however directed him to be receiving treatment from the Police Hospital.

Chief Inspector Oppong Twumasi, who was prosecuting said Mireku was driving a Hyndai Bus with registration number (GN3780-10) with passengers travelling from Accra to Takoradi.

He told the court that on reaching, Dompoase near Komenda Junction on the Cape Caost- Takpradi highway, he overtook a leading vehicle while approaching a curve and in the process crashed into a Man Diesel bus.

He said as a result of the crash, thirty-four (34) persons including, a baby, and the driver of the Man Diesel bus were killed with several others sustaining injuries.

He said the breakdown of the dead was twenty-nine (29), made up of 15 females and 14 males, died on the spot, while five were pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital when two vehicles travelling from the opposite directions from Accra to Takoradi crashed.

The Prosecution said while some have been treated and discharged, several others are still receiving treatment at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital.

The incident shocked the nation, with the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo expressing sympathy to the bereaved families.

The Central Regional Minister, Mr Kwamena Duncan, officials of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) and the Police MTTD have all visited the accident scene and expressed regret over the incident.