The two pupils of Alice Elite Academy who lost their lives in a tragic road accident involving their school bus have been laid to rest at Assin Kwafokrom in the Assin South District of the Central Region.
The emotional burial ceremony was marked by grief and sorrow as family members, school authorities, colleagues, and residents gathered to bid farewell to the young victims whose lives were cut short in the fatal crash.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, June 2, 2024, when a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter bus conveying pupils of Alice Elite Academy, a preparatory school at Assin Edubiase, was returning them home after school.
The bus, with registration number AS 2218-20, reportedly lost control and plunged into the Kotwea River along the Assin Adubiase–Homaho stretch.
The crash claimed the lives of a boy and a girl, aged between three and five years, among more than 40 pupils who were onboard the vehicle at the time.
Hundreds of mourners from Kwafokrom and surrounding communities converged at the funeral grounds to pay their last respects, with scenes of deep sorrow and emotional distress characterising the ceremony.
Family members were seen weeping uncontrollably as sympathisers offered comfort and support, while schoolchildren dressed in uniforms joined teachers and officials of Alice Elite Academy to mourn their departed colleagues.
Residents described the tragedy as heartbreaking, with many still struggling to come to terms with the loss.
“I panic whenever I wake up. My child was very close to one of the deceased. He wakes up every morning asking of his friend,” a resident told Channel One News.
The incident has reignited calls from residents and community leaders for stricter enforcement of road safety measures, particularly regarding the transportation of schoolchildren.
Meanwhile, the driver of the bus, identified as Charles Aidoo, 41, has been remanded into police custody after being charged with careless and inconsiderate driving. He is expected to reappear in court on June 12.
The Principal of Alice Elite Academy, Madam Alice, who was also arrested in connection with the incident, has been granted police inquiry bail on health grounds and is facing a charge of negligence as investigations continue.
All pupils who sustained injuries in the crash have since been treated and discharged from the hospital.
