A madman at Bechem in the Tano South District of the Brong-Ahafo Region last Wednesday night caused the death of five male passengers on board an Opel taxi with registration number AS 4666-U that was reportedly travelling from Bechem to Sunyani.

The accident also left 40 others on board a Metro Mass Transit (MMT) bus injured.

The five men, including the driver of the taxi and the madman, have since been deposited at the Bechem Government Hospital for identification and collection.

Speaking to DAILY GUIDE on the phone, Tano South District Police Commander, Superintendent Abraham Bansah, claimed all the 40 passengers on board bus – with registration number GS 2082-17 – sustained various degrees of injury and were rushed to the St John of God Hospital, Duayaw Nkwanta, for treatment.

Some of them were later transferred to the Bechem Hospital for more critical care.

He said that the Metro Mass bus being driven by one James Korang from Sunyani to Kumasi knocked down a madman who suddenly emerged from the nearby bush, killing him instantly.

The bus then veered off its lane to the other lane and collided with the Opel Astra taxi, dragging it (taxi) into ditch near River Boansoa.

According to Supt Bansah, all the five male occupants of the taxi died instantly.

“It took the combined efforts of the police and fire officers to remove the cab, cut it into pieces before removing the bodies. They have since been deposited at the Bechem Hospital.

Management of Metro Mass Transit in the region explained to DAILY GUIDE that according to the driver, on reaching a spot on the road, a madman suddenly emerged from the bush and in an attempt to save him, eventually hit him in the process.

The bus driver said all he realized was that the windscreen of the bus had splashed his face after knocking down the madman; and so he couldn’t see anything again.

Kusi Emmanuel, Sunyani Depot Manager, said no passenger on board the bus died.