Driver Disappears After Ghastly Motor Accident

The Sabga Hill has of late been transformed into a slaughter house given the frequency of motor accidents. This is partly due to the poor state of the road (pot holes) and Two weeks ago, a four wheel drive transport vehicle mark Toyota Carina matriculated No NW 407 C had brakes failure on the Sabga hill, some 10 kilometers away from Bamenda and 5 kilometers away from Ndop. Given the stiffness of the hill, the driver struggled for over a kilometre before the car was crashed on one right side of the road. The shock was so violent that four passengers died on the spot while others who were severely wounded were taken to Ndop for medical attention. It was on that spot that some of the passengers who were on their way to Ndu in Donga Mantung Division ended their lifetime journey at the Sabga hill. The problem as we gathered from some of the victims steams from the fact that the car was overloaded. Instead of four passengers, the vehicle had nine passengers on board. The issue of over loading especially on the Bamenda-Ndop-Kumbo-Ndu-Nkambe stretch of the ring road is so unchecked yet there are over 12 police and 8 Gendarmerie checkpoints on this road. The most pathetic thing is that all these fellows including the so-called road safety guys are more concern with collecting money from drivers than ensuring their safety. The quest for money by the police, gendarmes and road safety contributes to the over loading on the highway given that whether overloaded or not, all the transport cars pay FCFA 500 to all the checkpoints. And inorder to make also have something at the end of the day, majority of the drivers go for overloading. This explains why every time an accident occurs, the number of injuries and deaths are always more than required number in a car. However, the regional chief of Land Transport in the North West Region is of the opinion that anyone staff of his delegation that allows an overloaded vehicle to pass will be sanctioned. The accident at the Sabga hill has also ignited the delegation of transport to sit up. However, it has not calmed flaring tempers in the families of the victims since it is said that when the passengers who were in critical conditions were taken to the Ndop District Hospital where two others reportedly died, the driver of the transport car was no way found. One of the passengers is quoted to have revealed to the astonishment of mourners that she discovered that the driver disappeared from the steering wheel when he could no more control it. Rumours abound that Clement the driver disappeared. It was confirmed that he disappeared mysteriously as confessed at Nkwen Park by one of his colleagues that they saw him in town without a scratch. Tempers flared when the news was finally confirmed that the driver was alive and kicking. It is alleged that families of the victims have threatened to teach him a lesson. Duh Meh Clement we gathered is currently on a hot stole given the controversy that surrounds his disappearing from the car. It is thanks to North West Governor, Lele Lafrique Adolph the remains of the bashed vehicle were not set on fire. Worthy to note that North West Governor also visited the hospital and the site of the accident to restore hopes, yet hub-hub sources say some families who lost their love ones are bent on giving Duh Meh Clement a lesson of life. It is told that he has lost almost everything that he had worked during his life during the crisis. On the other hand, the delegation of Transport has threatened to withhold his driving license for at least four years, an official of that delegation told us. The question as to whether the driver is a victim of corrupt practices and the money collection points on the high way looms large. 

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)