Four people believed to be traders fromTamale en-route to the Gushegu market in the Northern Region are feared dead after a cargo truck ran over them Sunday morning, authorities said. One person is said to be in critical condition and has been rushed to the Gushegu district hospital. According to reports, the driver of the truck was trying to evade armed robbers who had laid siege on the road when he inadvertently drove over the traders.
The armed robbers had stopped a Tata bus with registration number GR 2188-C and ordered its occupants out of the vehicle. The robbers then forced the passengers to lie face-down on the ground while they searched of each occupant, officials said. After stealing several thousands Ghana cedis from the traders, the masked robbers signaled a cargo truck that had approached the scene to stop. However, sensing danger, the driver of the truck, according to police, disobeyed the order and in his haste to get away ran over the bus passengers who were still lying face down, killing four instantly.
The incident reportedly occurred on a stretch of road, the Nakung road, that is known to be a favorite haunt for armed robbers because of its isolation. The road is near a popular junction called Shelanyili Y junction which leads to the eastern corridor road and is accessible to trucks, but completely isolated. Drivers who use the Nakung road say they avoid the safer road because of its gaping potholes.