Monday, May 31, 2010

5 Heads Chopped Off In Gory Accident


There was a free-for-all wailing on Saturday when five persons on board a taxicab had their heads, arms, legs and other parts of their bodies severed off following a gory accident on the Accra-Ho trunk road.

Bodies of the victims were cut into pieces when the speeding taxi ran under a Metro Mass Transit bus at Fintey near Frankadua on the Accra-Ho road, after a head-on collision. The bodies were mutilated beyond recognition, as relatives had a tough time identifying them.

The dead included a woman and four men who were in the taxi. No one however died in the Metro Mass bus, but the driver sustained some injuries and is currently receiving treatment at the hospital.

The taxi cab’s registration number was not immediately identified because of the severity of the accident. However, a check on the spot revealed a car number plate with registration number AS 2821R, suspected to be that of the taxi.

Pieces of the taxi engine were scattered all over the place, cut into small pieces, as if by a grinding machine, with flies hovering over the stench.The cab was ferrying passengers who were returning from a funeral at Have to Ashaiman. The Metro Mass bus with registration number AS 7803 Z was also going to Kadjebi from Accra.

An eyewitness, Kwami Dunyo, told Daily Guide that the accident occurred when the taxi crashed into the Metro Mass Transit bus after dodging the numerous potholes dotted on the Ho trunk road. Driver of the taxicab lost control and rammed into the bus.
He said he had just reached the road-side to pick a vehicle to Frankadua, which is about four kilometres from the accident scene, when the unfortunate event took place, adding that he even flagged the taxi which did not stop.

The eyewitness explained that the taxi was dodging some pot holes ahead of him, with the bus doing same but the two lost control and collided, with the bus running over the taxi. The bus flattened the taxi and dragged it on the road, killing all the occupants instantly.

Confirming the deaths to DAILY GUIDE, on phone, the Akosombo District Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Issa Mohammed Cantona said the victims were returning from Have near Kpeve in the Volta region and were heading to Ashaiman near Tema.

He said their relatives had come to identify the bodies which are currently at the VRA Hospital morgue at Akosombo. He noted that the driver of the bus has however been released on bail to get medical attention and is expected to report on Monday.

In a related development, a Range Rover car with registration number GS 6312 has collided with a taxicab with registration number GT 1904R at Sokode Lokoe near Ho, injuring seven people in both vehicles. The injured are currently receiving treatment at the Volta Regional Hospital, Ho.

ASP Fred Lumor, Volta Regional MTTU boss, who confirmed the accident to DAaily Guide, explained that the Range Rover, which was heading towards Ho, was overtaking other vehicles and collided with the taxicab which was going to Sokode, damaging the taxi beyond repairs. No one however died.He appealed to the Ghana Highways Authority (GHA) to construct speed ramps in the various towns to avoid such accidents.

ASP Lumor also appealed to the GHA to fill the too-many pot holes on the road to prevent drivers from running into each other.

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