By Afedzi Abdullah/ Victoria Agyemang, GNA
Cape Coast, Jan. 17, GNA – The surviving
driver of the Dompoase accident who was discharged from the hospital on
Thursday and placed in police custody was on Friday remanded into Police
custody by a Circuit Court in Cape Coast.
Mark Mireku, 45, the driver of the Hyundai
Bus, allegedly did a wrongful overtaking leading to the gory accident which
claimed several lives and injured many others.
His plea was not taken and has been
provisionally charged with dangerous driving and would to re-apear in court on
Thursday January 31.
His family were hoping to get him a bail to
enable him to seek further medical care but the court presided over by Mr James
Botah, however directed him to be receiving treatment from the Police Hospital.
Chief Inspector Oppong Twumasi, who was
prosecuting said Mireku was driving a Hyndai Bus with registration number
(GN3780-10) with passengers travelling from Accra to Takoradi.
He told the court that on reaching, Dompoase
near Komenda Junction on the Cape Caost- Takpradi highway, he overtook a
leading vehicle while approaching a curve and in the process crashed into a Man
Diesel bus.
He said as a result of the crash,
thirty-four (34) persons including, a baby, and the driver of the Man Diesel
bus were killed with several others sustaining injuries.
He said the breakdown of the dead was
twenty-nine (29), made up of 15 females and 14 males, died on the spot, while
five were pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital when two vehicles
travelling from the opposite directions from Accra to Takoradi crashed.
The Prosecution said while some have been
treated and discharged, several others are still receiving treatment at the
Cape Coast Teaching Hospital.
The incident shocked the nation, with the
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo expressing sympathy to the bereaved
families.
The Central Regional Minister, Mr Kwamena
Duncan, officials of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) and the Police
MTTD have all visited the accident scene and expressed regret over the
incident.
GNA