Akuse police on manhunt for driver whose abandoned truck claimed nine lives

Police in Akuse have mounted search for the driver of the stationary tipper truck on the edge of the road into which a Sprinter Bus rammed into, on New Year’s Eve, Police Commander in charge of the Akuse Police Command in the Eastern Region, Chief Superintendent Winfred Asare Nyarko has said.

Chief/Supt Nyarko who said investigations had commenced into the accident averred that efforts to trace the driver to aid in investigations had so far proved futile despite an intensified search for him.

It’s not clear how the vehicle crashed into the truck filled with sand and parked at the edge of the road without reflectors but the commander said interrogating the driver of the truck and the Sprinter Bus would unravel the circumstances.

“All of them [sprinter and tipper] are under investigation. We still have not been able to find the driver of the truck and we have mounted a search for him to aid in investigations. The driver of the sprinter will also be questioned as soon as he is discharged from hospital,” explained Chief/Supt Nyarko.

According to him, the tipper bore markings of a company [name withheld] which details would be obtained from the Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to help it in tracing the driver for the necessary actions.

“We are getting some leads so by tomorrow [Sunday], we’ll get the person, we’ll get the company because the tipper is marked so since it’s marked, we’ll take it and then know which company is that.”

Though the vehicle was parked by the roadside, the commander said drivers are barred from parking on the edges of the roads. “No driver is supposed to park on the edge of any road, it is an offence,” explained the Police Commander.

Seven persons died on the spot with two more persons dying on Friday evening, bringing the death toll of the December 31, 2020 deadly accident to nine (9) including seven males and two females.

Two more victims including a 10-year-old girl and a young man who were on admission at the Akuse Government Hospital died on Friday.



Meanwhile, six (5) victims have been discharged from the Akuse Government hospital and St. Martins de Porres Hospital while five including the driver remain on admission with two in critical condition. The other three, including the driver, remain stable.

The Sprinter Bus with registration Number GN 8209- 15 with nineteen persons on board, was heading towards Ho from Madina in Accra when it crashed into the rear of the faulty stationary Tipper Truck with registration Number GN 2064 -14 parked at a village called Abusakope located between Okwenya Junction and Kpong on the Tema-Akosombo highway.

Towing of all vehicles parked by the roadside

Meanwhile, the Akuse police led by Chief Superintendent Winfred Asare Nyarko, following the Thursday night accident, embarked on a towing exercise Sunday morning of all parked and abandoned vehicles by the highway, including the tipper truck which caused the accident, to avert further disaster.

Several vehicles, mostly trucks and trailers were towed to the Akuse Police Station.

The Commander said owners of the vehicles who show up at the police station will be questioned.