East Legon accident: Salifu Amoako’s son remanded again

The 16-year-old boy who rammed into another car at East Legon, killing two people as a result, has once again been remanded.

The juvenile, who is facing eight counts of manslaughter, negligently causing harm, dangerous driving, and driving without a license, was first remanded when he appeared in court last Friday.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges during his first appearance before the Family and Juvenile Court.

It is unclear whether the juvenile has been sent to a correctional center or placed under the care of his parents in accordance with Section 23 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2003 (ACT 653), since the case has not been opened to the public.

This provision states that if a juvenile is not granted bail, the court may order the juvenile to be committed to the care of their parents, guardian, close relative, or another suitable person, or to be remanded to a facility near the court.

The case has been adjourned until November 13, 2024.

Prosecution’s Facts: Assistant State Attorney Ebenezer Yaw Acquah presented the facts, stating that, despite his age and lack of a valid driving license, the juvenile had been frequently allowed to drive cars owned by his family members.

On October 12, 2024, the family threw a birthday party for Elyon at an event center in East Legon. During the party, the juvenile requested the keys to his mother’s Jaguar F-Pace sports car from Linda Bonsu Bempah, a personal assistant to the family.

While the party continued, Linda handed over the keys to the juvenile. He took the car and drove with a friend to the A&C Mall, where they met more friends in two SUVs.

The group formed a convoy, led by the juvenile in his mother’s car, and drove through East Legon.

At one point, while traveling along Dzane-Ashie Road, the juvenile decided to accelerate recklessly, reaching top speed before approaching a T-junction at Mensah Wood Avenue without regard for other road users. At this high speed, he crashed into an Acura driven by Joseph Ackah, who was attempting to navigate the turn.

The impact was violent, propelling both vehicles across the street and smashing into a wall. Both cars caught fire immediately. The juvenile and his passenger managed to escape the burning vehicle, but the driver of the Acura, Joseph Ackah, had been carrying his boss’s two daughters—one of them a toddler—and their friends, two 12-year-olds. The children were trapped in the car, and despite bystanders’ efforts with fire extinguishers, the flames intensified, and they could not be saved.

As the flames spread, one of the volunteers managed to rescue the toddler and her sister, but the other two children perished in the fire. The investigation revealed that the juvenile’s reckless driving endangered the lives of everyone on the road.

The juvenile admitted to taking the keys from Linda Bempah, driving to the mall, and picking up his friend before the tragic crash.