Police officers stand trial for Stadium disaster

Six police officers are to stand trial for manslaughter for their alleged role in last year's Accra Stadium disaster which claimed the lives of 130 people after a league game, press reports said Wednesday.

The officers are: Nana Koranteng-Mintah, John Asare Naami, Frank Awu, Benjamin Bosomi Bakomora, Francis Ayitey Aryee and Faakye Kumi.

The officers as well as the other lower-ranked policemen on duty at the stadium on the day of the disaster were suspended immediately after the tragedy.

According to the Daily Graphic, the Attorney-General's office has finalised the documentation for their trial at the high court in line with the recommendation of the panel of inquiry that investigated the stadium stampede.

The head of public prosecution Osafo Sampong said that the delay in charging the officers had been caused by the need to do a thorough job which involves a lot of paper work. Four doctors and six nurses will now run the clinic.

Meanwhile, as part of measures to make the Accra Sports Stadium safer the number of medical personnel at the stadium clinic has been increased to better cope with such emergencies.

The clinic will also be better equipped while the government has approved a scholarship scheme that will assist 130 children who became orphans as a result of the disaster to attend universities.