According to the passengers who spoke to Citi News, the driver, Nana Boadi, reversed to chase a saloon car from which an object which broke the bus’ windscreen had been thrown.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ybVTGXH0QFYtM4s9o0oJCLabI5RGnBr2″]When the panic-stricken passengers challenged the driver and demanded that he should resume the trip to Kumasi, the incensed driver got off the bus and left them to their fate.

The dissatisfied passengers subsequently reported the matter to authorities of the Kumasi bus station, demanding an apology from the intercity transport giant.

Speaking to Citi News, the Assistant Secretary of the Kumasi VIP Station, Francis Asamoah, who is in Accra for a meeting over the matter, condemned the action of the driver.

He stated that the driver had appeared before the company’s “Disciplinary Committee” where a decision was taken to suspend him indefinitely, until the company completes its investigations into the incident.

He added that the company remains committed to providing excellent services to its passengers.

‘Our vehicles are insured’

In a statement, the company confirmed that the driver had been sanctioned, adding that he had not followed the appropriate procedure.

“Ordinarily, the bus driver involved should have taken the registration number of the vehicle and reported to the nearest police station. We wish to state emphatically that our fleet has been comprehensively insured,” the statement said.

‘It was terrible’

The angry passengers who narrated the incident to Citi News had expressed their disappointment at the driver’s actions arguing that he could have used a better approach to address the matter, instead of putting their lives at risk.

According to the passengers, they pleaded with the driver not to chase the saloon car but their cries fell on deaf ears as he jumped out of the bus and into a taxi to continue his pursuit.

“On our way, when we passed by a little town called Dadieso, near Nkawkaw, all that I head was a big bang. I was reading by then, so when I raised my head, I saw that the right side of the windscreen had burst and pieces of glass falling all over. So when we tried to find out, we were told that an oncoming car had thrown something and it hit the windscreen,” one passenger said.

“But the driver, instead of stopping and checking on the safety of the passengers, he rather in the middle of that small road made a u-turn and started coming towards Accra. I challenged him and he said he was chasing the car from which the object came from. So he parked by the road just by the railway line, abandoned us and left.”

The passengers eventually joined some VIP vehicles that were also heading towards Kumasi.

“Some of us, with the help of the driver’s mate, contacted the VIP [head office in Accra] so a few of us had to board some of their buses that were also heading towards Kumasi,” he added.

Another lady who was on the bus said: “we all started shouting at the driver when he reversed the vehicle.”

“He [Driver] got out of the bus and jumped unto another VIP bus and sped off. Some of the passengers took taxis and mini vans that were heading to Kumasi. Someone contacted the head office of VIP and they said they will set up a committee to investigate it. I don’t know what they are going to do. It was really terrible. This driver should be called to book,” she added.

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By: Caleb Kudah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post ‘Runaway’ VIP Bus driver suspended for abandoning passengers appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The driver, one Ernest Obri Lartey, in his petition, said the Chief Justice violated Article 146 (8) of the 1992 constitution with her handling of the judicial bribery scandal following the expose by the investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his firm, Tiger Eye Pi.

[contextly_sidebar id=”WKxvxecLDOKyDas3rkYxauXrecmMVbsu”]The petition recounted that she indicted the 34 judges and magistrates following the revelation, and subsequent petition to then President John Mahama for the removal of the judges.

The 34 judges were asked to respond to the petition, but Mr. Lartey said that before the indicted judges and magistrates could respond, the CJ published the contents of the petition in the media followed by the screening of the documentary detailing the revelation.

Mr. Lartey argued further that, the Chief Justice willfully violated the constitution because she discussed the contents of the petition from Anas with the petitioner before he submitted the petition, thus constituting ex parte communication.

This was after the Chief Justice had removed some judges from office for having been found to have communicated with one of the parties in a pending litigation, contrary to the conduct of the judges and magistrates in a 2005/06 case, according to Mr. Lartey.

“Since the Chief Justice finds Ex parte communication by judges and magistrate to be so grave that they have to be removed from office, she the Chief Justice should equally be removed from office for engaging in Ex parte Communication with the petitioner and eventually heard the same petition and made prima facie determinations. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander.”

Claim of incompetence

To support his claim of incompetence against the Chief Justice, Mr. Lartey in his petition argued that “The Chief Justice’s incompetence is obvious when she failed to comply with the decision of the Supreme Court that any petition seeking the removal of the superior court under Article 146 (8) of the constitution. The Chief Justice sat in the Agyei Twum Case when the Supreme Court made the declaration yet the chief justice in this instance, violated the same Article 146 (8) of the constitution.”

Meanwhile, the CJ  has already announced that she will be officially retiring from active service in the next few months.

Some of the affected judges in the judicial corruption scandal, notably Justice Dery and Habib Logoh, are already in court fighting numerous battles against the CJ in a  bid to clear their names.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Driver petitions Nana Addo to remove CJ for ‘incompetence’ appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.