State prosecutors informed an Accra High Court that Polish evaluators have determined the cost of repairing a wrecked train at $2,138,466.66.
The train, intended for the Tema-Mpakadan railway line, was damaged when four accused individuals allegedly caused the accident.
During Thursday’s court session, the state replaced an earlier charge sheet with a new one. According to the prosecution, the first accused purchased concrete blocks in Juapong, Volta Region, and transported them to Abutia.
Attempting to take a shortcut, the accused and his colleagues packed stones on the railway to cross with their truck, which subsequently got stuck. At that moment, the Railway Authority was conducting a test run of the train, leading to the collision and subsequent damage.
The four accused face charges including using a railway line in breach of the Railway Act, aiding in endangering persons on the train, unlawfully placing stones on the railway, and causing unlawful damage. All pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Despite the state’s request to remand the accused to Nsawam prison, the court granted them a bail of 200,000 cedis each with one surety. The case is adjourned to June 27.
Ghana won’t bear repair costs for damaged train -Peter Amewu
Railways Development Minister John Peter Amewu clarified that the state will not bear the cost of repairing the Tema-Mpakadan train damaged during the test run.
The train was sent to a maintenance yard in Tema, where Polish engineers assessed the damage. Mr. Amewu stated that, according to the purchase agreement, Ghana had not yet taken ownership of the train at the time of the accident.
“There was no transfer of ownership. Which means the supplier was still responsible for the train. We’ll get ownership when the government has made the full payment which we haven’t done yet,” he noted.
He added, “So Ghana is not going to bear the cost of repairing the train involved in the accident during the test ride.”
