Six people perished at the spot while three others died later in hospital after the cargo truck on which they were travelling from Osramanae to Gyaseyaor in the Krachi West District of the Oti Region last Friday, veered off the road upon reaching Monkra and fell on one side.
Fifty-one others who sustained injuries are on admission at the Krachi West District Hospital.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) who commands the district, Samuel Kwabena Nkrumah told the Ghanaian Times of phone yesterday that the casualties were among a group of mourners who were returning from a funeral at about 5pm when the tragedy struck.
He said that the 60 mourners threw every caution to wind and held on the metal bars on the truck which had capacity of only three people.
DSP Nkrumah said that on reaching a bump at the outskirt of Monkra, the driver lost control of the steering wheel, causing the vehicle to drift to the opposite side before whirling in the gutter.
The police turned up at the scene immediately after the accident and rushed the bodies of the deceased and the injured to the hospital, said DSP Nkrumah.
He said that it was mind-boggling how humans could travel on such a truck which has no seats in the bucket for passengers.
The driver of the truck, Isaac Kwaku Asetena, 41, was in police custody at the time of filing this report.
The District Police Commander did not immediately disclose the identities of the deceased.
Investigations continue.
FROM ALBERTO MARIO NORETTI, HO