Conflicting reports emerge about the fate of man allegedly beaten to death over GH₵2 transport fare

There are conflicting reports about the alleged death of a middle-aged man who was beaten up by some commercial drivers and conductors at Lapaz on Saturday, October 29, 2022.

According to an eyewitness account, the man fell and knocked his head on a concrete pavement after receiving a punch to the back of his head.

Edmond Antwi, reporting the incident via his Twitter account, said the yet-to-be-identified man fell to his death as a result of the blow, while his lifeless body was conveyed to a nearby hospital by the driver who punched him with the help of others.

Visiting the GPRTU bus terminal at Lapaz a day after the incident, drivers and mates at the terminal were tight-lipped with almost everyone denying being around when the incident occurred.

Those who confirmed knowledge of the incident to GhanaWeb, however, maintained that they were not in the position to speak on the matter.

Unfortunately, the GPRTU office at the terminal was closed for the weekend at the time GhanaWeb reporters visited the terminal, hence the absence of an official to speak on the matter.

However, a driver who spoke to GhanaWeb off record indicated that the victim of the incident survived after he was rushed to the hospital.

“He was treated and discharged the same night. He even came back to the terminal to pick a car to his destination and had the part of his head that hit the ground covered with plaster,” he told GhanaWeb.

Recounting the incident to GhanaWeb, Edmond Antwi, who reported the matter in a viral Twitter post, said he had every reason to believe the man had died from the incident as he was unconscious and bleeding from hitting his head on the ground.

The eyewitness narrated that he, together with other passengers who had boarded a trotro from the bus terminal to Pokuase, had a disagreement with the driver and his conductor over an increase in fares.

One of the passengers, who was livid about having to pay GHC2 as an increment on his usual fare, according to Antwi, kept on lamenting even after other passengers had decided to let the issue go.

He said this caused the driver to abandon the trip midway and returned to the station with the passengers onboard the bus.

Upon arrival at the station, the man, according to the eyewitness, refused to alight from the bus. This is said to have led to a scuffle between the passenger on one hand and the driver and his mate who were joined by their colleagues on other hand.

Out of nowhere, the eyewitness said a Taxi driver punched the passenger in the head from behind causing him to hit his head on the pavement.

Amidst bashing from those gathered at the scene, Edmond Antwi said the taxi driver with the help of others carried the body of the man who looked dead into his car and sent him to a nearby hospital.

According to the eyewitness, he could not confirm whether a complaint was lodged with the police about the matter.

Meanwhile, officers at the Lapaz Police Station, which is a few hundred kilometres from the bus terminal, say they are yet to receive any reports about the incident.