Boy, 15 loses life over rat

Kyeremasu (B/A), July 9, GNA - Hanson Kumi Yeboah, 15, a pupil of Kyeremasu Roman Catholic Junior Secondary School (JSS) in the Dormaa-District of Brong-Ahafo Region was on Tuesday buried beneath an anti-hill while he was digging a rat-hole.

Hanson was allegedly buried instantly when the anti-hill under which he was digging suddenly caved in and "swallowed" him. His hunting colleague, only named as Mustapha, was however, lucky to escape death though he sustained minor injuries.


An official of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) at Dormaa-Ahenkro told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that Mustapha reported the incident rather late making it impossible for a search party to retrieve Hanson alive.


The official said when the party arrived at the scene, it became obvious that Hanson had died as he could not respond to their numerous calls.


According to him, Hanson's bosom friend Mustapha later revealed to the family that he and his friend decided to go hunting after classes without notifying anybody.

According to Mustapha in the course of their search, they came across a hole they suspected to be that of the rat.


They dug the hole for a while and then set fire at the entrance of the hole to smoke the rat out but to no avail.


Mustapha said when they resumed digging the anthill suddenly caved in noisily and instantly submerged his friend. He said as he could not do anything to salvage his friend he rushed home to report it to the elders.


The NADMO officer said Hanson's body, which was retrieved after an hour-long search under the supervision of the police and staff of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) had since been deposited at the Dormaa Presbyterian Hospital mortuary for autopsy while police investigations continue.