Owner of Kalomo cow which caused fatal accident to be charged

Police in Kalomo are looking for the owner of a stray cow that was hit by a Toyota Noah vehicle, which overturned killing four passengers and a driver on the spot.

The cow also died on spot and police say they would charge the owner with the offence of leaving an animal unattended to.
The accident happened on Sunday around 23:00 hours on the Livingstone Road at Mukwela Township 15 kilometres from Kalomo town.

The driver, McEssential Sikwali, of Zambia Sugar area in Mazabuka, who was driving the Vehicle registration number ALC 5247, hit the cow as it was crossing the road.
Newly appointed Southern Province Police chief, Joseph Mutale said the motor vehicle, in the process, careered off the road and overturned killing the driver and four other passengers.

The vehicle was carrying 11 people and was said to have been speeding.
“As police, we have not yet identified the owner of the cow but officers are on the ground doing investigations,” he said.

Mr Mutale clarified that the total number of people who died on the spot were five and not six as reported in the media.
Among the deceased were Mr Sikwali, two men aged between 40 and 47, and two babies who were less than two-years old.

Mr Mutale said three among the six passengers who sustained serious body injuries were discharged on Tuesday after treatment.
Three others were still admitted at Kalomo General Hospital while four among the five bodies lying at the hospital mortuary were identified.
Mr Mutale called for safeguarding of livestock among communities and that police would not tolerate owners of animals to stray on roads.