K750 000 for causing death in Mzimba
Mzuzu Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court has slapped a 33-year- old driver, Christopher Kambaula, with a K750 000 fine or in default serve three years imprisonment for causing an accident which claimed six lives during Easter holidays in Mzimba.
He was charged with causing death by reckless driving contrary to Section 126 of the Road Traffic Act (RTA) and he pleaded guilty to the charge.
On March 30 2018, Kambaula was driving a Freight Liner truck registration CK 3103 near Luwawa For
est, on the M1 Road in Mzimba going to Lilongwe with a 30 tonne-load of wood.
While descending the Ruviri slopes he failed to negotiate a corner and the vehicle swerved and overturned causing the off-cuts to fall on six pedestrians who died on the spot.
State prosecutor Damiano Kaputa told the court that all the deceased-Love Mkandawire, Esther Nkhata, Gracious Zimba, Magret Ndhlovu, Nelia Kachali and Kestina Chavula were coming from Ruviri Church.
In his ruling, senior resident magistrate Peter Kandulu said accidents
of this nature are increase in the country; hence, the stiff penalty so that drivers exercise caution.
He, therefore, ordered Kambaula to pay a K750 000 fine out of which K600 000 will be shared among the six families of the deceased as compensation.
Meanwhile, Northern Region Police spokesperson Peter Kalaya has advised road users to always follow traffic rules.
