PRESIDENT KUFUOR UNHURT AFTER CAR ACCIDENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 002418 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/W E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL KCRM GH SUBJECT: PRESIDENT KUFUOR UNHURT AFTER CAR ACCIDENT Classified By: CHARGE SUE K. BROWN FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (U) On November 14, as President Kufuor,s motorcade was traveling from his residence to "the Castle" (the presidential office building),a Mercedes Benz collided with Kufuor,s armored Mercedes Benz when the presidential motorcade sped through a major intersection. It appears that President Kufuor was not injured in the accident, despite the fact that his vehicle, a gift from Libyan President Mu,ammar Qaddafi, rolled over three times, finally coming to rest on its roof. Local citizens reportedly reacted faster than Kufuor's security detail as they overturned Kufuor,s vehicle and pulled him from the wreckage. Kufuor was immediately transferred to another vehicle and traveled to the Castle. Kufuor,s driver and aide experienced minor injuries. ¶2. (U) After arriving at the Castle, Kufuor was examined by his doctor and deemed to be in good health. Kufuor delivered a short address on Ghana television late yesterday afternoon and assured his fellow Ghanaians that he was fine. He did not suffer any visible cuts or bruises and, according to local media reports, attended all planned meetings and events on his schedule for November 14. ¶3. (C) The driver of the vehicle that hit Kufuor,s car, Thomas Osei, had more extensive injuries and is currently in police custody at Ghana,s main hospital receiving treatment. Some media reports stated that Osei was intoxicated, while other sources claim that the collision may have been intentional. One eyewitness told a reporter he saw Osei sitting at the intersection for two hours before Kufuor,s motorcade passed through. According to this account, Osei passed around two vehicles in order to ram the motorcade. The Ghana security services are investigating all possibilities. ¶4. (C) COMMENT: This is the sixth accident the President,s motorcade has been involved in since 2001. Other accidents have killed members of the President,s security detail and injured bystanders. While there are allegations that the accident may have been intentional, it is too early to make an accurate judgment. We expect that the President's security detail to also be reinforced after this incident. END COMMENT. BROWN