A 52-year-old man, Salisu Adamu, has met his untimely death after a tricycle, popularly known as Aboboyaa, fully loaded with over forty pieces of wood, fell on him at Bedabour in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region.
The tricycle rider, Kwaku Ampong, 26, also sustained injuries in the process.
According to residents, at about 7:45 a.m. on Wednesday, June 25, the two men, both residents of Bedabour, went to a farm to collect the wood.
After loading the wood into the bucket of the tricycle, the deceased reportedly sat on top of the load and they proceeded out of the bush.
However, upon reaching a rough section of the bushy road, the tricycle lost balance and overturned, causing the load of wood to fall on Salisu Adamu.
Unable to lift the heavy wood off the deceased by himself, Kwaku Ampong rushed back to the community to seek help.
Sources say he returned with some residents, who helped him offload the wood. Unfortunately, Salisu Adamu was found dead beneath the pile.
Out of fear and panic, the group allegedly covered the body with leaves and left the scene without informing the authorities.
Around 4 p.m., a resident who had heard about the incident anonymously contacted Akwasi Nkansah, a local journalist at Mpasatia who reports for Kumasi-based Angel 96.1FM.
According to Nkansah, he quickly made his way to Bedabour and advised the residents to report the matter formally to the police.
Subsequently, together with the journalist and some residents — including the tricycle rider — they lodged a complaint at the Nkawie Police Station. The police then accompanied them to the scene, retrieved the body, and deposited it at the Afari Hospital mortuary.
Meanwhile, according to information available to this paper, the family of the deceased is planning to request the release of the body for burial, in accordance with Islamic customs.
Police have since launched investigations into the matter.
By David Afum, Bedabour