68-year-old trader crushed to death by faulty vehicle

A 68-year-old woman met her tragic end Wednesday morning when a vehicle loaded with foodstuffs ran over her at the entrance of the Agomanya market in the Eastern Region.

The accident occurred when a Mitsubishi mini bus with registration number GW 3696-X loaded with foodstuffs and heading from Yonguasi, a farming community towards the Agomanya market being driven by one Padi Nicholas, aged 28, reportedly failed its brakes.

The victim, identified as Sarah Abaka, was said to have been knocked down by the vehicle at the entrance of her store located near the road leading into the Market.

Police accounts say, the driver upon reaching a section of the road at Agormanya, alleged that his vehicle’s brake failed whilst descending a slope into the market and as a result, knocked down Sarah Abaka.

Traders ran helter-skelter for their lives and the victim who was in her shop, according to eyewitness accounts, rushed out amidst the ensuing chaos to observe what was amiss when she was crushed by the oncoming vehicle, sustaining serious injuries in the process.

When GhanaWeb got to the scene, the place of the accident was stained with the blood of the victim.

The vehicle also knocked down one Bodua Joyce, aged 31 who was hawking on the road. The two victims were rushed to the St. Martin De Porres Hospital at Agomanya for medical treatment but the deceased passed on minutes later whilst on admission receiving treatment.

Bodua Joyce was however treated and discharged.

GhanaWeb learnt it took onlookers’ efforts to use blocks to be able to bring the vehicle to a stop.

Police personnel from the Odumase Police Command visited the scene of the accident and impounded the vehicle involved to the station for further action with the suspect driver put into custody for further interrogation.

Meanwhile, Assemblyman for Agomanya-South, Honourable Philip Batsa blamed the accident at the feet of commercial drivers who had turned the venue into an illegal loading station.

According to him, the area in question was an accident-prone area where regular accidents occurred and called on the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly to as a matter of urgency clear the area of the illegal activities to ensure the free flow of traffic in the area.

In June this year, a similar accident occurred at the Odumase-junction in the same municipality when a 35-year-old woman was killed by a Hyundai Grace Mini Bus after the driver suffered a brake failure.