Police hunt for fugitive driver

Tema police have begun a manhunt for the driver of a mini-bus who allegedly crossed the Presidential convoy on Sunday resulting in a fatal accident in which three presidential guards were killed on the spot. A fourth guard died later at the hospital.

As at 10 o'clock on Monday, 24 drivers of white mini-buses were behind the counter of the Tema Police Motor Traffic Unit for interrogation and the police were still in the field looking for the suspect who was said to be driving a white Urvan bus.

Both President Jerry John Rawlings, who was driving a red Jaguar car, and his wife, Nana Konadu, who sat beside him, escaped unhurt but their car was damaged at the left rear end.

The mini-bus, which was said to be carrying passengers, escaped. The guards were killed when the two vehicles they were using crashed into each other. DSP John Agboado, Tema Police Regional MTU Commander, told newsmen that the police in the early hours of Monday morning also arrested three drivers crossing onto the motorway by the same unapproved route where the presidential convoy had the accident.

They are Robert Tagbolo, driver of a Benz bus, Mr Charles Akuoko, a taxi driver, and Patrick Osei Bonsu, driver of a Volta River Authority (VRA) Pick-up. They have all been placed in police custody.

The drivers being questioned by the police said it would be difficult to trace the suspect if they target only mini-bus drivers in Ashaiman since on weekends a lot of such buses, which ply long distances like Kumasi and Kpong, use their vehicles for “tro-tro” on the Ashaiman route.

Most of the drivers arrested are those who ply between Ashaiman and Nima, Maamobi, Accra Central, Circle, Lashibi and Teshie-Nungua all in Accra.