Two pupils of Alice Elite Academy laid to rest after fatal school bus crash

The two pupils of Alice Elite Academy who died 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 burial was marked by deep emotion and grief as family members, school authorities, pupils, and residents gathered to bid farewell to the young victims whose lives were cut short in the fatal crash.

The accident occurred on Tuesday, June 2, 2024, when a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter bus transporting pupils of Alice Elite Academy, a preparatory school at Assin Edubiase, was returning them home after school.

The vehicle, 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 on board at the time.

Hundreds of mourners from Kwafokrom and surrounding communities gathered at the funeral grounds to pay their final respects, with scenes of sorrow and emotional distress dominating the ceremony.

Family members were seen weeping uncontrollably as sympathisers consoled them, while schoolchildren in uniforms joined teachers and officials of Alice Elite Academy to mourn their classmates.

Residents described the tragedy as devastating, 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 said.

The incident has renewed calls from residents and community leaders for stricter enforcement of road safety regulations, particularly those governing 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 and 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.

-citinewsroom