Students of Kumasi Academy (KUMACA) in the Ashanti Region have been asked to go home following disturbances on campus on Friday night, March 31, 2017, linked to the ‘mysterious deaths’ of three students within 13 days
According to sources within the students’ body, the deceased who were males died as a result of food poisoning but their autopsy reports are yet to be issued to determine the cause of the deaths.
Although they [the deceased] were reported to have been given first aid by the school authorities, the sources said they were later sent home when the authorities realised that their situations were getting worse.
The death of the 3 students, Today gathered, occurred at separate hospitals. The hospitals were Tafo Trinity Hospital, Jachie Pramso Hospital and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Hospital, all in the Ashanti Region.
Not withstanding the death of the three, the false alarm of a fourth person reported to have died on that same Friday, Today understands, triggered the disturbances and commotion which took place on that evening as the students were afraid to lose their lives like their colleagues, hence their decision to leave the school.
The visibly angry students therefore, decided to leave the school compound, but they were prevented by the gate man who insisted he had to take orders from the headmaster.
The students, who at this time could not understand why they should be prevented from going home, became more infuriated, and as result broke lamp holders and bulbs, destroyed phone booths, and allegedly vandalised the assistant headmaster’s vehicle.
Parents of the students who later got hint of the confrontation between their wards and the school’s security rushed to the school, demanding to take their children home but to no avail as they were also prevented by the security detail in the school.
Subsequently, a commotion ensued between the school’s security and the parents who had insisted on taking their children home without recourse to the headmaster.
The scuffle at the entrance of the school led to a beefing up of security by police officers who restored calm and prevailed on the authorities to allow parents to take their wards home.
On Saturday, April 1, 2017 when Today visited the school in the morning, some parents were still around to take their wards home.
With the exception of the final year students who were preparing for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) slated for today, Monday, April 3, 2017 and a few others who have internal examinations to write on Wednesday, April 5, 2017 Today observed that the school was virtually empty.
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