The November 14 Accident involving Prez's car - Docket referred to AG's office

December 1, 2007 (Page 3)

Story: Mabel Aku Baneseh

THE docket on the 51-year-old man at the centre of PresidentKufuor’s car crash has been referred to the Attorney-General's office for advice.
The Accra District Magistrate’s Court remanded Thomas Osei for two weeks following a submission from the prosecution that investigations were ongoing.
Although counsel for Osei disagreed with the prosecution's request, the court presided over by Mr Samuel Diawuo, remanded him to appear again on December 14, 2007.
Osei, whose saloon car ran into the President’s car, was charged with four counts of dangerous driving, negligently causing harm, driving under the influence of alcohol and failing to give way to a Presidential convoy.
His plea has not been taken.
The accused person, dressed in a long traditional attire, was whisked away in a waiting police vehicle immediately after the court hearing to serve his second remand in custody after he was first remanded by the court, popularly known as the "Motor Court" on November 16, 2007.
Earlier, a Principal State Attorney, Mr Agyemang Duodu, prayed the court to remand the accused person, because the Attorney-General's office received the docket on the case the previous day (Thursday) and also because investigations into the matter had not been completed.
He, therefore, prayed the court to remand Osei for completion of investigations in order for the appropriate charges to be levelled against him.
Opposing the prosecution's application, Osei’s counsel, Mr Kwame Akuffo, said it was untenable for the prosecution to say a case of such national magnitude had not been completed.
According to him, this was not the first time the President's convoy was involved in an accident.
He said there was no mystery surrounding the case, because the facts presented by the prosecution were exactly what happened.
Mr Akuffo prayed the court to intervene and order the prosecution to expedite action on the case, adding that the defence would co-operate fully with the prosecution for justice to be done to all.
On November 16, 2007, Osei was remanded following a request by Chief Inspector Dora Seiwaah to the court to remand him for investigations to be completed.
The facts of the case are that around 11.30 a.m. on November 14, 2007, Osei was spotted driving a Mercedes Benz SE 500 saloon car in the inner lane along the Liberation Link from the direction of Aviance towards the 37 Military Hospital.
On arriving at a spot a few metres from the Opeibea House traffic lights, Osei drove into the rear side of the President’s vehicle, in spite of the fact that other motorists had been stopped to allow the president’s convoy to pass.
The President’s car was being driven by Mr Osafo Addo in the middle lane from the direction of the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange towards the Castle, Osu, along the Liberation Road.
The prosecutor said the impact of the crash forced the President’s vehicle to turn around, hit a light pole, and in the process, fell on its right side and landed on a VW Golf saloon car
All the vehicles involved in the accident got damaged, while the drivers sustained various degrees of injury and were rushed to the 37 Military Hospital for treatment.
Mr Addo and the driver of the VW saloon car were treated and discharged, while Osei was admitted for treatment.
The President, however, escaped unhurt.
The police said initial investigations revealed that Osei was driving under the influence of alcohol.