A grieving family in Kasoa in the Central Region has appealed to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to intervene in an investigation into a fatal road accident that reportedly claimed two lives and left a young nursing graduate critically injured.
The family alleges that nearly two weeks after the accident at the Kasoa-Ofaakor Junction, it has received no satisfactory update from the police regarding investigations into the incident and the driver allegedly involved.
The family is particularly concerned about the circumstances under which the driver of the private vehicle was reportedly allowed to leave the scene, despite the deaths and serious injuries resulting from the crash.
The allegations were made by the family during an interview with our correspondent, Kwame Kakraba, at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, where the surviving victim, Fatia Wichi, remains on admission.
According to Eric Atitso, uncle of the deceased, the accident occurred at about 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at the Kasoa-Ofaakor Junction.
He alleged that a Hyundai 4×4 private vehicle with registration details provided by the family as DV E5469, DV20 and LA 26 knocked down a motorcycle carrying three people: two women and a male rider.
Mr Atitso said he learnt about the incident at approximately 6:00 a.m. that day after receiving a telephone call from his niece, Fatia Wichi’s phone.
However, when he answered the call, he said, an unfamiliar voice asked whether he knew the owner of the phone.
He explained that he identified the owner as his niece, a registered nurse, before the caller informed him that people had been involved in an accident and urged him to rush to the Kasoa-Ofaakor Junction.
“When I arrived at the scene, I saw the wreckage and immediately went to the Kasoa-Ofaakor Police Station to formally report the incident,” he recounted.
Mr Atitso said he subsequently met a Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) officer identified as Issaka Yakubu at the police station.
According to him, the officer confirmed that an accident had occurred and informed him that two people, a woman and a man, had died, while another woman had survived but was in critical condition.
He said the officer directed him to the mortuary to establish the identities of the deceased before proceeding with the necessary formalities.
At the mortuary, Mr Atitso said he identified the body of his relative, Happy Wichi, who was the mother of Fatia Wichi.
He also identified the deceased motorcycle rider, whom he said was not a member of his family.
Fatia Wichi, meanwhile, was confirmed to be the surviving victim and was receiving medical attention.
Mr Atitso said he was subsequently allowed to lodge a formal complaint, after which he returned to the accident scene with the MTTD officer.
He explained that the officer took him through the circumstances of the crash, prompting him to ask what had happened to the driver allegedly involved.
Given that two people had reportedly died and another had sustained critical injuries, Mr Atitso said he expected the driver to be available to assist with further police inquiries.
The uncle alleged that when he asked about the driver’s whereabouts, the officer instructed him to remain calm and allow the police to do their work.
Mr Atitso said he persisted with his questions, after which the officer reportedly pointed out the driver from a distance.
He identified the driver as Samuel Darkora and expressed concern that the man appeared to have been allowed to return home rather than being detained.
The circumstances surrounding the driver’s reported departure from the scene have become a major concern for the family, which wants clarity on the steps taken by investigators following the accident.
Mr Atitso said the exchange led to a misunderstanding between him and the police officer, after which he left the station to attend to his injured niece at the hospital.
He further alleged that when he returned to the Ofaakor Police District the following day, Thursday, he received differing explanations from the MTTD officer handling the case and the District Police Commander.
According to him, the discussions did not provide the family with sufficient assurance about the progress of the investigation or the measures being taken concerning the driver.
The family also said it subsequently learnt that the private vehicle involved in the accident belonged to the driver’s father, who is a military personnel.
However, the family’s allegations about the handling of the case have not been independently established, and the police have not publicly provided a detailed account of the circumstances surrounding the accident or the driver’s reported departure.
Beyond its concerns about the police investigation, the family is appealing for financial assistance to support Fatia Wichi’s treatment.
Mr Atitso said Fatia, who completed her training at the Sunyani Nursing and Midwifery Training College in 2023, is yet to receive a posting.
He said she remains critically ill at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital and requires urgent surgical procedures on both legs and one hand.
According to him, the family has been informed that the procedures will cost approximately GH¢80,000.
The financial burden, he explained, has compounded the family’s grief following the death of Happy Wichi and the serious injuries sustained by her daughter.
Mr Atitso said relatives had already pooled their resources to support Fatia’s treatment but were struggling to meet the additional cost of the required surgery.
He appealed to the public to assist with her medical expenses while urging the police leadership to ensure that the accident is thoroughly investigated.
“We are appealing directly to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to help us seek justice. We are very sad about how the Kasoa-Ofaakor District Police is treating us, all because we do not have money to fight the case,” he said.
“We do not have money to hire a lawyer, and we have already used our contributions to support Fatia Wichi’s treatment. We are totally broken. We are calling on the general public to help us get justice,” he added.
A senior sister of the deceased, identified as Aunty Abiba Mohammed, also called for a transparent investigation into the accident and the police’s handling of the case.
Speaking emotionally, she said the family wanted the circumstances leading to the crash to be properly established and any person found culpable to be held accountable in accordance with the law.
She maintained that a credible investigation and appropriate accountability would help the family find some peace following the tragedy.
The family’s concerns centre not only on the deaths and injuries but also on what it considers a lack of communication from the police since the incident.
It is calling on the IGP to intervene, ensure that the case receives the necessary attention and provide the family with clarity on the progress of investigations.
Fatia Wichi who is battling for her life appealed to individuals and institutions to assist her to undergo the surgeries she says she urgently needs.
She said she completed her nursing training at the Sunyani Nursing and Midwifery Training College in 2023 and has been waiting for a posting.
Recounting her condition following the accident, Wichi said she was unable to walk or even sit up without difficulty.
“I am a registered nurse. I completed in the year 2023 at Sunyani Nurses and Midwifery College. I was involved in an accident, and I can’t walk or even rise to sit,” she said.
“The doctor taking care of me said I have to pay GH¢80,000 before he will operate on my hand and legs, so I need support from individuals who are watching me,” she appealed.
Wichi called on President John Dramani Mahama, the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, businessman Ibrahim Mahama and the Sunyani Nursing and Midwifery Training College to come to her aid.
Her appeal comes as the family continues to seek financial assistance to cover the cost of treatment and the surgeries required to address her injuries.
Meanwhile, Kwame Kakraba contacted the police officer handling the accident case for an update.
The officer confirmed that the case is under investigation but declined to provide further details.
The Ofaakor Police Station falls under the Odupong Kpehe/Ofaakor District within the Kasoa Divisional Command of the Central East Police Region.
The police have yet to provide a detailed public response to the family’s specific allegations concerning the handling of the case, the driver’s reported departure and the communication between investigators and the relatives of the victims.
As the family continues to mourn Happy Wichi and seeks assistance for Fatia’s medical treatment, it is urging the police hierarchy to ensure that the investigation establishes the circumstances of the accident and addresses the concerns raised.
For the relatives, the immediate priorities are securing the medical care Fatia needs and obtaining answers about the incident that has left their family devastated.
Story by Kwame Kakraba
