Five Dead, 14 in Critical Condition after President Mahama Victory

Bloody Tragedy at Adentan

Five Dead, 14 in Critical Condition after President Mahama Victory

By Felix Engsalige Nyaaba

Five persons have been confirmed dead and 14 others seriously injured during celebrations of President John Dramani Mahama victory declaration by the Electoral Commission (EC) as president elect of Ghana of just ended general elections on Sunday.

At Ajirigano in the Adentan Constituency in Accra, two people died on the spot, three died on the arrival at Hospital, while 14 others injured seriously after been hit by a vehicle during NDC victory celebrations.

The newly elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Adentan Constituency, Hon. Emmanuel Nii Ashie-Moore who rushed to the scene upon hearing the incident told The Enquirer that the unfortunate incident happened on Sunday night when supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) pour out onto the streets to celebrate the victory of the party in the 2012 general elections.

He said shortly after the EC declaration of the results, members of the NDC pour out onto the street celebrating the victory and within few minutes time, three men in a taxi cab in the President T-shirt and said to had also be in the victory mood emerged at the jubilation scene with their car runs into the crowd killing two instantly.

According to Mr. Ashie-Moore, beside the two people who died at the spot, three died on the arrival at Hospital, while 14 others including two females are in critical conditions.

Narrating the condition of the victims to The Enquirer, Mr. Ashie-Moore said, among the 14 surviving victims, 11 are in the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, two at the Ridge Hospital and one at the University of Ghana, Legon Hospital receiving medical attention.

“Two of the males admitted are in critical condition with severe head and legs injuries while the others are stable,” he said.

He said before information on the incident reach him on the Sunday night, police from the Legon had gone to the scene  and help restrain the jubilant, while the dead bodies as well as the injures were taken to the Hospital.

He noted that the surviving victims have been identified and family members contacted, while efforts was being made to trace the family of the decease who have been deposited at the Korle-bu Hospital Morgue.

The MP elect for Adentan constituency therefore called on all supporters of the NDC nationwide, especially those in the Adentan to exercise restraint while celebrating the party victory.

When this reporter contacted the Legon District Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Frank Anning on phone, he confirmed the incident and said the driver has since been arrested for investigation.

He said the driver, John Astu who had also sustained injuries during the incidents was arrested after he was treated and discharged at the Legon Hospital, but he attributed the incident to a brake failure.

According to the police commander, the vehicle with registration No.GT 1170-10 has also been impounded at the police station and will be send to the Driver and Vehicle Licenses Authority (DVLA) for testing to ascertain the driver claims.

C/Supt. Anning noted that   provisional  criminal charges will be prefer against the suspect per the criminal laws of the country, while investigation continues to unearth the  true causes of  the unfortunate incident.

Caption: one the decease lies in the pool of blood after he was hit by the car. INSET, are pictures of the jubilant