KUNBUOR ESCAPES DEATH (Front Page)

A SUSPECTED assassination attempt on the life of the Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, on Monday night failed, with the minister escaping unhurt.
Dr Kunbuor said he was shocked to the marrow when he smelt smoke and saw a hole in the windscreen of the saloon car which he was driving and, consequently, drove quickly away from the scene when he realised that all was not well.
The incident occurred near the Labone Senior High School about 9.30 p.m. when the minister was going out from his residence to see a colleague at another part of Accra.
Narrating the incident to the Daily Graphic at his residence, Dr Kunbuor said when he heard the noise, he thought it was a tree branch which had fallen on the vehicle until he smelt smoke and later saw a hole in the windscreen.
The minister, who was well composed at the time of the interview, said he suspected no one in particular, adding, “I’ve gone through a similar thing before so I’m not scared.”
Last Monday’s incident happened to be the third time Dr Kunbuor had gone through such a harrowing experience.
In 2002, a group of armed robbers broke into his car after he had visited the late Mrs Susanna Alhassan’s house at East Cantonments. After the robbery, there had been an exchange of gunshots between the robbers and some soldiers who happened to be at the scene right in his presence.
Again, in September 2007, another group of armed robbers entered his room and, for more than one hour, pointed a gun at his head and a knife at his throat.
On the latest incident, the minister said it would have no effect on him, adding that he would continue to lead his life as he did.
He indicated that he had not seen anybody at the scene of the noise up to the ECOBANK area where he noticed some people, adding that it was after he had reached the El-Wak Stadium that he could stop to inspect the damage to the car.
He, however, stressed that he could not determine whether it was a bullet that had hit the car or some other object but confirmed that he had heard a noise at the time that the object hit the windscreen.
Meanwhile, the case has been reported to National Security for investigation.