Michael Boateng
6 November 2009
Sunyani — The Military, Police and the State Insurance Company (SIC) are allegedly trying to cover up the November 8th 2008 accident, which occurred at Twimia Nkwanta near Techiman in Brong Ahafo, involving a KIA Truck and a Church bus. 22 people died in that accident with only two survivors.
A white Pick Up vehicle which caused the accident immediately turned and sped away. The Military (not forest guards) were allegedly chasing the KIA truck which was loaded with illegal timber logs. The Military, in their attempt to prevent the KIA truck from entering the Techiman Timber Market shot at the tyre. The Police accident report involving the two vehicles, however, did not capture the shooting.
After having its tyre shot, the KIA truck driver lost control and veered from his lane and collided with the Mercedes 207 Benz bus belonging to the Greater Grace Church in Sunyani, killing the passengers on board, who were returning to Sunyani from a funeral at Nkoranza.
Exactly a year after the accident, members of the deceased families are demanding insurance packages, but nothing beneficial seems to have come out of their plea, after several promises by the then Minister of Defence, Mr. Kan Dapaah to launch an investigation into the matter.
The Chronicle's investigation into the matter, after members of the deceased families made incessant calls for the insurance packages, revealed that the KIA truck which is at the centre of the dispute has disappeared, but the wreckage of the Mercedes Benz bus is still at the Techiman Police station.
Again, The Chronicle gathered that documents on the SIC insurance sticker on the windscreen of the truck, which is supposed to be the license for families of the deceased to make their insurance claims, can not be traced at the SIC office.
Assistant Superintendent of the MTTU, Osman Mohammed, who is in charge of the case, told this reporter that the case is still under investigation, however, a copy of the Police Accident Report involving the two vehicles, raises more questions and suspicion.
The said report made available to The Chronicle gave detailed information on the Mercedes Benz, the name and address of the driver, name and address of owners, particulars of insurance, Medical officer's report and the Vehicle Examiner's report.
Also, information about the KIA truck in the report was that it had registration number AS 1627 V; and as requested by the Techiman Police and the case officer, the truck had been examined at the premises of the police, and its engine, electrical, suspension, brakes, steering and body was in good working order prior to the accident. The information further said the vehicle was wrecked beyond economic repairs; - affecting the chassis, engine, cowl, steering, panel instrument, roof, offside and nearside driving mirrors, front and rear windscreen, grille, bumper, nearside and offside headlights and rear windscreen, grille bumper, nearside and offside headlights, indicating bucket detached.
Police's facts obtained by The Chronicle indicate that on November 8, 2008, at about 5.00pm, the Mercedes 207 Benz bus travelling from Nkoranza towards Sunyani with mourners on board, collided with the KIA truck loaded with Scanstyle boards from Sunyani direction towards Techiman Timber market.
On reaching a sharp curve at Twimia Nkwanta near Star Oil Filling Station, Techiman, the driver of the KIA, which was being chased by personnel of Forestry Task Force, Yakubu Razak, lost control of his steering and failed to negotiate the said curve and ran into an oncoming Mercedes 207 Benz bus with registration number BA 656 X killing 20 occupants on the spot.
Four victims on board the Mercedes 207 Benz bus who sustained serious injuries were rushed to the Holy Family Hospital, Techiman, for treatment, but two of them later died on admission. Both vehicles were damaged beyond economic repairs.
Although the police say they are still investigating the matter, the KIA truck involved in the accident can not be traced. Former Minister of Defence, Mr. Kan Dapaah led a high level military delegation to the scene of the accident and later promised to Military, Police, SIC in cover up?set up a committee to look into the matter because it was alleged that a military officer was the one who fired at the KIA truck, and not a forest guard.
The Road Safety Commission also announced in Sunyani that it was launching an investigation to ascertain the cause of the accident. The commission said whenever an accident occurs and more than five people die, it carries out investigations to find out the cause of accident.
There has been public concerns and questions on the whereabouts of the KIA truck involved in the accident, with the report of the military's investigation to find out whether indeed one of their men actually shot at the KIA truck, and whether the vehicle was insured, and by which company, and why hasn't any report on the accident been made public?
The public is, therefore, accusing the military, police, the SIC, the previous and current governments for covering up, urging the various parties concerned to come out with their full reports to ascertain the real cause of the accident for the prevention of future occurrences.
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