late Francis Atsu Vondee
The mortal remains of the military officer who died in a car crash with Ghanaian dancehall artiste Ebony, will face court-martial, credible sources at the Ghana Armed Forces have told 3news.com
[ads1]According to the sources at the military high command, Lance Corporal Francis Atsu Vondee of the Ghana Air force stationed at the Accra Air force Base in Burma Camp was not officially deployed for the bodyguard duties.
The 29-year-old officer, who was travelling with Ebony died when their Jeep crashed a VIP bus Thursday night on the Sunyani-Kumasi highway while returning to Accra from Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region.
Three of the four occupants – Ebony, Vondee and Ebony’s close friend known as Franky- died in the accident. Their driver however survived and is currently in critical condition in an undisclosed hospital.
Checks by 3news.com at the Ghana Armed Forces confirmed Vondee who was in a military uniform at the time of the accident, was not assigned to perform bodyguard duties, and that, he was doing “purely private and personal business”.
According to our sources at the military high command in Accra, investigations would be conducted into the matter and once it is established he was not officially sanctioned for bodyguard duties, his body would be court-martialed.
That is the body would be charged for being absent without leave (AWOL). That, the sources say, is in line with the laws and statutes governing the Ghana Army.
The sources said if found guilty of the charge, his family “could be denied his benefits” due him, including insurance packages.
Police account of how the accident happened
On 08/02/2018, at about 23:45 hours, suspect driver Chartey Oko Pinehad, aged 29, was driving Jeep No. AS497-16 from Sunyani to Accra with three occupants on board, whilst suspect driver Mohammed Abubakar aged 48 years, was also driving KIA Grad Bird [VIP] bus with registration No. GT 3232-17 from Accra to Sunyani with a set of passengers on board.
On reaching a section of the road between Nyamebekyere and Nsuta, there was a heap of sand in the lane of the Jeep which was being used for the road maintenance, and the driver in trying to avoid running into the sand, swerved onto the opposite lane and grazed the nearside portion of the bus and plunged into the railings at the edge of the road, killing the three other occupants identified as Francisca Nkansah Kuri aged 27 years, Priscilla Opoku Kwarteng [Ebony], and Lance Corporal Vondee Francis Atsu, aged 29 years.
The driver sustained injuries and was rushed to Bechem Government hospital for treatment. The occupants on board the bus escaped unhurt.
Bodies conveyed and deposited at Bechem government hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy. Accident vehicle impounded at the station. Suspect driver on enquiry bail.
Source: 3news.com