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General News of Tuesday, 18 March 2014

Source: XYZ

Kumasi: 4-year-old electrocuted, family to sue ECG

The Family of a four-year-old boy, who was electrocuted at Bantama in Kumasi on Sunday night, is threatening to take legal action against the Electricity Company of Ghana, ECG for negligence.

The deceased, Kwaku Yeboah, was electrocuted after holding a life cable attached to an electricity pole, few minutes after ECG officials worked on the pole.

Uncle to the deceased, Andrews Acheampong, who witnessed the unnerving incident, told Ultimate Radio, “The boy had been left with his eleven-year-old brother when their mother left them shortly to attend to natures call.”

He said the incident occurred when the children started jubilating after the lights were switched on that evening because the community had been without light for two days.

“You know how these children behave when the lights are suddenly switched on. So the elder brother couldn’t even find him until we heard screams from outside that a child had been electrocuted by the wires around the electricity pole there”.

But the bereaved family is accusing the ECG of negligence. A brother to the deceased, Stephen Sarpong, told Ultimate Radio they will take legal action against the company. He told Nana Oye Diabene, they are not ready to take any flimsy excuses from the ECG and allow the issue to slide because “anyone else could be next.”

He indicated that, “when the police came in and called the ECG, they initially denied any complicity but when they turned off the lights and switched it back on, they tested and found power still in there. So where did the power come from?” how can we lose such a person within a twinkle of an eye because of someone’s negligence?” he questioned furiously.

Suntreso Police Commander, DSP Vitus Napem who confirmed the incident to Ultimate Radio, said per their preliminary findings, “The boy stood beside the electricity pole and held a metal railing close to the pole”.

He however indicated that they were awaiting an autopsy report from the hospital “and when the report confirms that the boy died as a result of electrocution, we can find out who can be invited for questioning.”

He however assured that for now, the police had begun investigations into the incident.

The body has since been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital pending autopsy.