The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Daniel Syme, who stands accused of being involved in a hit-and-run incident, has denied media reports that he bolted away from the scene after it occurred.
Hon. Syme’s vehicle knocked down Robert Abuley and his companion who were riding a motorbike on Thursday at about 8pm; but the minister allegedly failed to stop.
He said to have sped off after the accident and never returned.
Some passersby reportedly conveyed the two victims to the Bolgatanga Government Hospital where Abuley later died on Friday after the deputy Minister paid him a visit at the hospital.
Reports indicated he died from injuries sustained after he was knocked down by the Minister’s vehicle.
Mr. Syme also stands accused of failing to report the matter to the Police.
The Deputy Minister, who also doubles as acting Regional Minister, reportedly failed to visit the victims at the hospital until some residents besieged his office to demand an explanation for his actions.
“To our utmost surprise, the deputy Minister said he didn’t even know he had knocked human beings; he thought he had hit donkeys,” Stanley Abopan, a brother to the deceased said.
The explanation, according to Abopan, annoyed the residents because “we have not seen donkeys riding motorbikes in this region before.”
But in swift rejoinder, the Deputy Minister described the reports as "full of inaccuracies and complete falsehood".
Whiles admitting that "my vehicle hit the said victims", he denied being "drunk" at the time of the incident and also failing to turn himself in, saying he "PERSONALLY" reported the incident to "regional police MTTD" and "have since availed myself for the associated due legal processes to which I fully commit myself till the case is concluded".
Read a copy of the Deputy Minister's rejoinder below.
Rejoinder: Hit-and-run Minister knocks two with vehicle
I wish to bring to your kind attention and to the public that the news report with the above headline carried by your esteemed media is full of inaccuracies and complete falsehood.
It is true that my vehicle hit the said victims. I am distraught and devastated by news of the passing of one of them, a couple of hours after my visit to the hospital. I deeply and sincerely empathize with the family and assure I will offer my utmost support in every way I can to do what is benefitting in the circumstances. It is my sincere prayer also that the surviving victim will receive the best care and recover speedily.
It is, however, crucial to note that contrary your account, the accident occurred on a double carriage way rendering me unable to immediately turn back to the accident scene. Thankfully, a U-Turn was only a distance away and so I turned and drove back to the scene. I never intended to, and it would never have crossed my mind to runaway as alleged in the said account of the events.
The records at the regional police MTTD will also bear me out that I personally reported the case immediately and have since availed myself for the associated due legal processes to which I fully commit myself till the case is concluded.
It needs stressing also that the defamatory allegation that I was drunk is completely false and the police officers who attended to me at their offices would testify to that.
Once again, I extend my deepest sympathies to the bereaved family while wishing the surviving victim a speedy recovery.
Signed
Hon. Daniel Syme
Deputy Minister
Upper East Region
Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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