A 20-year-old motor tricycle rider, Kofi Gideon, has been sentenced to six months in prison by the Bibiani District Court for causing the death of a two-year-old boy in an accident.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court, presided by Mr Lord Delvin Essandoh, ordered Gideon to pay GH₵ 6, 000 as compensation to the victim’s mother.
Gideon was charged with dangerous cycling, careless and inconsiderate cycling, negligently causing harm, use of an unregistered motor tricycle, and riding without a license.
He pleaded guilty to all charges, and the court sentenced him to four months imprisonment for dangerous cycling, two months imprisonment for careless and inconsiderate cycling, six months imprisonment for negligently causing harm, four months imprisonment for using an unregistered motor tricycle, and two months imprisonment for riding without a license.
However, the court ruled that these sentences would run concurrently, meaning they will be served at the same time.
In delivering the sentence, the court took into account the fact that Gideon was a first-time offender, had pleaded guilty, had already spent some time in lawful custody, and had made a GH₵ 2,000 payment towards the burial of the boy and compensation to the victim’s family.
The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Benjamin Owusu Agyemang, informed the court that the complainant in the case was Mary Hagan, a trader, and the mother of Samuel Annor Kojo, the two-year-old boy, who tragically lost his life in the accident.
The court heard that Gideon, was resident of Bibiani, who on May 30, 2023, at about 07:30 am, rode an unregistered tricycle popularly called ‘Aboboyaa’, on high speed from Atakrom towards the Bibiani District Police headquarters.
Chief Insp Agyeman said as Gideon approached a section of the road near Amanano Rural Bank, he lost control of the Aboboya and knocked down the two-year-old victim, who was walking with his elder brother and attempting to cross the road.
The victim suffered serious injuries and was rushed to the Bibiani Government Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival, according to prosecution.
Chief Insp Agyeman stated
that a post-mortem conducted by Dr Kwasi Adu Gyamfi, the Medical Superintendent at Bibiani Government Hospital, indicated that they boy died of internal bleeding and suffocation.
The court heard that Gideon was arrested and granted police enquiry bail, and the case was referred to the Attorney General’s office for advice.
After the legal advice, Gideon was re-arrested and brought before court on September 26, 2024, where he was formally charged with the offences related to the accident, Chief Insp Agyeman noted. —GNA