A survivor of the horrific carnage on the Kintampo road has blamed the tragedy on three passengers whom he claimed carried body parts of dead relatives on the Metro Mass bus.
Charles claimed the three passengers failed to perform rituals such as the pouring of libation believed to be a requirement before transporting body parts. The survivor explained that the bus driver who perished along with 63 others stopped to address a fault on the bus.
According to Charles, the driver could not repair the bus well enough and continued the 200km journey to Tamale. Corroborating other accounts of survivors, he said the bus was running with the speed of a jet. Not long after, the driver hit three cows, lost control of the steering wheel and rammed into a truck carrying tomatoes. The massive impact left Charles suddenly buried under at least five bodies, he said. Before the impact, panic-stricken passengers were frantic in prayers.
Charles said he informed the driver that he was carrying body parts for burial in his hometown where he was heading.
According to traditional beliefs, a family unable to bring back the body of a dead relative for burial in his hometown may cut off some parts of the body such as the hair for final funeral rites to be performed at the deceased’s hometown.
Charles said he carried some nails, hair and other parts and sought permission from the driver to board the bus. They performed some traditional rites before he boarded the bus.
According to him, there were three other persons who carried body parts but failed to respect the tradition declaring what they were carrying. For him, the accident was not because the bus developed a fault but because three passengers failed to perform rituals for carrying dead parts.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
