The recent court decision to sentence the son of Bishop Elisha Salifu Amoako, the Founder and General Overseer of Alive Chapel International Church, to six months in a correctional facility has left the family members of the two preteens killed in the tragic East Legon accident with mixed feelings. While they accepted the court’s judgment, they expressed dissatisfaction with the six-month sentence handed down to the 16-year-old boy held responsible for the crash.
In particular, the grandmother of Justine Agbenu, one of the deceased girls, voiced her disappointment, stating that the six-month sentence was inadequate. She called for changes in the country’s laws to ensure stricter punishments for similar cases. Speaking in Twi, she expressed her frustration, saying, “What can I say, what am I supposed to say, what am I to say? The court has given its judgment. But I pray that one day the laws will be changed. You can’t kill two people through reckless driving and get away with this. This is my issue.”
Furthermore, family members were also critical of the GH¢6,000 fine imposed on Bishop Elisha Salifu Amoako and his wife, Mouha Amoako. They condemned the pastor for his remarks, especially his statement that he did not need a driver’s license to drive and that his son had not intentionally caused anyone’s death.
The tragic road crash at East Legon claimed the lives of two preteens and resulted in Bishop Elisha Salifu Amoako and his wife being fined GH¢6,000 each. Additionally, the pastor was ordered to pay over GH¢8,000 for the destruction of a light pole at the accident scene. Their 16-year-old son, who was found responsible for the crash, pleaded guilty to eight charges, including two counts of manslaughter, and was sentenced to six months at a senior correctional center.
According to police prosecutors, the teenager had been recklessly driving the Jaguar F-Pace Sport belonging to his parents when it collided with a black Acura carrying the victims. The boy had been showing off the speed of the vehicle to his friends in a convoy through the East Legon area, ultimately leading to the tragic accident.
In addition to the teenager, Bishop Salifu Amoako, his wife Mouha Amoako, and Linda Bonsu Prempeh, a sales assistant, were arrested and charged with “permitting an unlicensed person to drive.” They pleaded not guilty in court and were granted bail by the Accra Circuit Court. The family members of the deceased girls are calling for amendments to the juvenile justice act in light of this tragic incident, hoping for stricter consequences for those responsible for such reckless actions.
