Abel Dzidotor, the driver responsible for the tragic train accident on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line on Thursday, April 18, has been handed a six-month jail term.
The sentencing comes after Dzidotor admitted guilt to three out of the four charges levelled against him.
According to Benjamin Aklama of Citi News, Dzidotor pleaded guilty to charges including inconsiderate driving, causing unlawful damage, and unauthorized stopping. The court found him guilty on these counts, leading to his sentencing.
The first charge against Dzidotor was for careless and inconsiderate driving, a violation under Section 3 of the RTA Act 683 (2004), amended by Act 761 of 2008. He received a sentence of 100 penalty units, equivalent to a potential 20-month prison term if not paid.
The second charge was for unauthorized stopping, contravening Section 19 of Act 683 of 2004, as amended by Act 761 of 2008. Dzidotor pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 penalty units, or a five-month jail term if unpaid.
The third charge, causing unlawful damage, was in breach of section 172b of Act 2960. Dzidotor admitted guilt and received a six-month sentence in hard labour.
However, Dzidotor pleaded not guilty to the fourth charge of failing to produce a driver’s license, contrary to regulation 47(2) of LI 21(80). He claimed his license was within the damaged vehicle and has been instructed to present it to the court by May 9, 2024, under the threat of potential consequences.
The Ghana Police Service had arrested Dzidotor after preliminary investigations revealed that he had allegedly left his Hyundai truck unattended on the railway line, resulting in a collision with the newly imported train from Poland during a test run.
The police statement suggested that Dzidotor had gone to deliver cement blocks when his truck became stuck on the rail after he failed to navigate a pass-through under the bridge.
