The 16-year-old son of Bishop Salifu Amoako, Founder and General Overseer of Alive Chapel International Church, has been sentenced to six months at a Senior Correctional Centre following his involvement in a tragic car crash in East Legon. The incident, which occurred on October 12, 2024, claimed the lives of two 12-year-old girls, Justine Agbenu and Maame Dwomoh Boateng[1].
The juvenile, whose identity is protected by law, faced eight charges, including two counts of manslaughter, dangerous driving, and driving without a license or insurance. At his initial court appearance in November, he pleaded not guilty and was remanded into custody, with his passports seized during the investigation.
The prosecution revealed that the teenager, who lacked a driver’s license, gained access to his mother’s car during a family birthday party. Without permission, he and a friend took the vehicle and later joined a convoy of other friends.
The accident occurred at a T-junction when the teenager, driving at excessive speed, collided with another vehicle. The crash led to a fire that engulfed both cars. While the teenager and his passenger managed to escape, two young girls in the other car tragically perished in the blaze. The driver of the other car and another girl were rescued.
In court, the teenager admitted to taking the car keys without his parents’ knowledge and recalled driving with his friend to the A&C Mall before the fatal crash. Investigators concluded that his reckless driving was the cause of the accident.
The sentencing has sparked significant backlash on social media, with many netizens expressing outrage over what they perceive as a lenient punishment for a crime that resulted in the loss of two young lives[1]. Some argue that a six-month sentence does not equate to the severity of the offense, calling for a re-evaluation of the justice system’s handling of such cases.
Many are calling for stricter enforcement of traffic laws and more stringent penalties to deter reckless driving, especially among unlicensed individuals
