Two killed as driver rams into crowd at Abura

Two people died on Saturday at Abura Tetsi in the Abura Asebu Kwamankese District of the Central Region after a driver drove into a partying crowd.

Several others have been left injured after a group of people defied a ban on public gatherings to organize a party. Traditional Authorities in the community are blaming the development on the District Police Commander after pleas through letters to stop the gathering went unheeded.

The victims were Kwabena Krendo 31, and Yaw Yawson, 41, who were both on a motorbike when the incident happened. A spokesperson for the Abura Tetsi Royal Palace Nana Kwame Wontumi told Starr News the driver of the vehicle which ploughed the crowd is a Ghanaian resident abroad and one of the organizers of the event.

“No chief in Central region is supposed to do any feast, or event or any other social gathering because of the president’s orders on Covid-19 protocols. Because of that, we wrote a letter to the district police commander of Abura Dunkwa and also [a] petition to the Regional House of Chiefs, even attached the letter from the Regional House of Chiefs to the Abura Dunkwa police commander so that he can attest to the fact that the regional house of chiefs has given orders that no chief in Central region is supposed to have any social gathering, feast or any event,” he said.

He further recounted: “But this commander couldn’t stop the people. This police officer, district commander allowed these people to do the programme. One of the organisers came all the way from abroad, he has no driving license, he has nothing, just drove carelessly into some of the event attendees killing two people instantly. Many of them are also injured.”

According to Mr. Wontumi, the police are trying to sneak the suspect out of the country without prosecution. The development, he explains, is to shield the commander from answering questions relative to flouting of President Akufo-Addo’s ban on public gatherings as a measure to curb the Covid-19 pandemic.

“They (The Police) are trying to sneak the guy out of the country again. They are trying to do cover up, two people died instantly, many injured, and they are trying to send the guy away back to the abroad”.

Speaking to EIB Network Central Regional Correspondent Yaw Boagyan, Abura Dunkwa Police Commander ACP John Paul Akonde refuted the allegations of complicity. According to the commander, some chiefs in the community organized the party on the blind side of the police. ACP Akonde disclosed the driver who crashed the two Abban Baidoo has been released on bail.

“On Saturday when he went to hospital the investigator followed up and picked him. As I speak to you, yesterday he complained of body pain again and so we had no option than to release him to continue receiving his treatment. So as I speak to you he is on police enquiry bail. He was bailed by a surety,” the commander explained.