The son of Archbishop Elisha Salifu Amoako, has been further remanded by a juvenile court in Accra where he is facing manslaughter charges.
It is however, not clear whether he was remanded into a correctional facility or into the custody of his parents, as both state and defence lawyers were tight-lipped on the court’s orders.
The 16-year-old is standing trial over the fatal accident which resulted in the death of two 12-year-old girls at East Legon on October 12, 2024.
He initially made his first appearance before the court on October 1, 2024 and was remanded into the care of correctional facility in Accra.
There were concerns later regarding his whereabouts although the Ghana Police Service in a statement indicated that he was in the custody of the Osu Correctional Centre.
But there are still uncertainties about where he is being kept when he made second appearance before the court yesterday.
The minor has been charged with a total of eight charges – two counts of manslaughter, three counts of negligently causing harm, two counts of dangerous driving and another count of dangerous driving without a valid licence.
Court documents indicate that despite his age and his lack of a valid driver’s licence, his family members regularly gave him access to cars that they own and permitted him to drive.
They also point out that the minor had been driving in a manner that fell way below what is expected of any competent and careful driver and in such a reckless manner that it endangered the lives of both vehicles and pedestrians along the road.
His parents have already appeared before court charged with permitting an unlicenced person to drive.
Prosecuting brief facts stated that the 16-year-old took his mother’s Jaguar F-Pace Sporton October 12, 2024, and drove with one of his friends to the A&C Mall where they met some more friends who were waiting in two SVs.
“The three cars formed a convoy, led by the accused person in his mother’s car, and drove through the East Legon area,” he said.
Courts document further pointed out that at a section of the Dzane-Ashie Road and despite the presence of other vehicles on the road, the Accused person decided to show off the speed of the jaguar F Pace Sport.
It said he was at top speed and in no time had approached a T-junction at the Mensah Wood Avenue recklessly with no regard for the other road users.
The accused then rammed the Jaguar into an Acura SUV driven by Joseph Ackah who had slowed down to navigate a turn.
The impact of the collision threw both vehicles off the street, ramming them into the wall of a house opposite the junction, destroying an ECG pole in the process.
Both cars immediately caught fire which turned into a raging inferno in no time.
He and his friend managed to force themselves out of the vehicle while the two 12-year-olds – Maame Dwomoh Boateng and Justine Agbenu were trapped and bystanders tried but could not rescue them as they burned beyond recognition.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak