Road traffic deaths tops police reports

One an unknown male person was hit and died on the spot by unidentified motor vehicle on Katima Mulilo road in Lusaka.

Zambia Police Service Spokesperson Elizabeth Kanjela said the accident happened yesterday around 19:30 hours along Katima Mulilo road at Mount Meru near the Great East road.

Ms Kanjela said the unidentified driver did not stop after the incident adding that the body of the unidentified man is lying in the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) Mortuary.

The police spokesperson has since appealed to members of the public who may be missing a friend or relative to go to the nearest police station.

Ms Kanjela said police have since launched a man hunt for the driver and called on members of the public to assist with information leading to the arrest of the suspect.

In a related development, a 52 year old pedestrian died on the spot after being hit by a motor vehicle yesterday around 06:00 hours along Independence Avenue in Kabwe.

Ms Kanjela explained that Mwando Mwanza aged 26 of house number 20, Chintu Northrise in Ndola who was driving a Toyota corolla registration number ACL 8719 from South to North hit a pedestrian, Mangi Lawrence aged 52 of house number F13 Mine compound in Kabwe.

She said the accident happened when the driver lost control of the motor vehicle due to excessive speed and went to hit a pedestrian who was off the road and the pedestrian died on the spot.

The police service spokesperson said the driver has since been charged with causing death by dangerous driving contrary to section 161 of the Road Traffic Act no. 11 of 2002 while the body of the deceased is lying in the Kabwe General Hospital Mortuary awaiting postmortem.

And in Kitwe, a pedestrian died on the spot after being hit by a motor vehicle along the Kitwe – Ndola dual carriage way opposite Kitwe Show Grounds around 21:00 hours yesterday.

Ms Kanjela said the accident involved a BMW registration number RJ54GCV driven by Chabala Mwape aged 38 of house number 28 CBU Riverside in Kitwe.

Also involved was unknown male pedestrian aged between 20 and 25 of unknown address who sustained fractured both legs, head injuries and died on the spot.

She explained that the accident happened when the motor vehicle which was moving from North to South went to hit a pedestrian who was crossing the road from East to West.

Ms Kanjela said the driver has since been charged with causing death by dangerous driving while the body is lying in the Kitwe Central Hospital Mortuary awaiting post mortem.

Meanwhile, Ms Kanjela has disclosed that one person escaped death in Lusaka yesterday when the vehicle he was driving was burnt to ashes due to an electrical fault.

She disclosed that the incident happened around 21:50 hours at Shimabala area along Kafue road.

Ms Kanjela said Nelson Phiri of house number 1052 AC6, Kafue Estates reported to the police that his motor vehicle, Toyota Alteza registration number AJC 2349 caught fire while he was driving from Lusaka to Kafue due to a suspected electrical fault.

And in a related development, property worth more than KR5, 000 was lost when a fire swept through two shops at Old Soweto market in Lusaka around 23:20 hours yesterday.

Ms Kanjela said one of the shops was being used as a bakery and it is suspected that the fire was caused by an oven which was left on.