The ineptitude of Tema New Town District Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mifetu and a reckless taxi driver has resulted in the deformity of a 35 year-old man when he was knocked down sometime last year.

The victim, Kwame Agbozo, a native of Akatsi in the Volta Region, who was abandoned after suffering a broken thigh, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Paul Tawiah Quaye, and copied the Ministers of the Interior, Women and Children Affairs and the President of Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) for appropriate redress.

The petition, which The Herald has cited, says, among others, that on November 12, last year, the victim, who presently cannot walk without an aid, was knocked down by a taxi cab with registration number GT 3289 at Tema New Town; he sustained multiple injuries.

Sensing danger, the driver of the taxi cab, rushed Mr. Agbozo to the Tema General Hospital for immediate attention.

Upon reaching the hospital, it was detected by Dr. Amoako that the victim had sustained severe injuries in the right thigh, and so he was referred to 37 Military Hospital in Accra, for further medical attention.

On their way to 37 Military Hospital, the driver, together with one Alhaji who was with him, ignored the doctor’s recommendation. They decided to seek the assistance of a herbal bone specialist at Akatsi, since going to hospital would cost him a substantial amount which he does not have.

However, the victim’s wife who was present, resisted the proposal and demanded that the incident be initially reported to the police and, secondly, pointed out to them that traditional medicine may compound her husband’s state of health.

All attempts to stop the two men proved futile, as they demonstrated to the victim and his wife that they were not prepared to spend any money at any hospital.

True to their words, Mr. Agbozo was sent to a very remote village in the Akasti District, where there was no improvement in his health, as it continued to deteriorate. Quickly, the victim’s wife went back to the Tema New Town Police Station and lodged a complaint, and the driver was subsequently arrested.

After the driver was granted bail, the victim’s wife visited the police station to enquire about how far the police had gone with their investigation into the matter.

According to the victim, his wife once met the culprit in a discussion with the officer handling the case, DSP Mifetu.

After a brief discussion, the woman said she was called to the office of DSP Mifetu, and he, (DSP Mifetu) suggested that the case be settled at home, and demanded that the cost of the victim’s treatment be shared equally between him and the driver at the time. The victim had been sent to the St. Anthony Hospital at Dzodze and the hospital was demanding six hundred Ghana cedis.

The officer’s suggestion angered the victim’s wife, generating a hot argument between them. Subsequently, last April, a delegation from the victim’s family went to see DSP Mifetu on the way forward. Much to their surprise, the officer insisted on his earlier suggestion; this raised a lot of eyebrows.

In response to the DSP’s behavior, the victim’s family also became angry, and the DSP ordered that both the victim and the driver’s family leave his office. But according to the victim, the driver and his family are constantly spotted with the DSP.

After a while, the culprit presented GH¢100.00 to the victim’s wife, and assured her that he would be visiting Mr. Agbozo at Dzodze Hospital. As if the presentation of the GH¢ 100.00 was in settlement of a debt owed the victim, the culprit reneged on his pledge to visit the victim. He has vanished into thin air with no traces of him.

An attempt by the victim’s family to trace his whereabouts has proven futile, and the victim is currently left to his fate.

Mr. Agbozo is by the petition calling on the IGP and all concerned to look into his unfortunate predicament and bring to book all those who have contributed to his current state of ill-health saying.

“The action of the driver and that of DSP Mifetu is a clear indication that the less privilege will continue to be trampled upon and relegated to the background, for the rich to triumph and rule with iron hand”, said the victim, adding: “It is pertinent at this time to call on the Police administration to investigate this matter thoroughly in order to bring this hit- and-run driver to book”.

Reports reaching The Herald from Akatsi indicate that the Department of Social Welfare has taken over the case and is investigating the matter.