Malawian court convicts Tanzanian driver for causing death of 3 people
The Mzuzu Magistrate Court has fined a Tanzanian driver who caused death of three people for reckless driving in Karonga district some two weeks ago.
The Tanzanian was driving a scania Taqwa bus which was involved in a road accident after it overturned at Tilola Trading Centre, about a kilometre from Chilumba Barracks.
The bus that commutes between Dar-es-salaam and Lilongwe had on board Malawians, Nigerians, Mozambicans, Tanzanians and Zambians and two Malawians were killed on the spot. One died at the hospital.
Appearing before First Grade Magistrate, Anthony Banda, the 38-year-old Tanzanian, Thomas Mukuru, pleaded guilty to the offence of causing death for the three people.
However, Makuru pleaded with the court for leniency claiming he was only following Taqwa Bus company regulations where drivers are ordered to drive at high speed because they cover long distances and carry passengers that are on business tasks.
Taqwa buses carry cross boarder traders from Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe to Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam.
Banda said despite pleading guilty to the offence, he sentenced Makuru after observing that his actions led to loss of life for people.
The magistrate said he valued each lost life K80 000 hence the K240 000 fine or in default serve 24 months custodial sentence. He paid the fine.
This was the fourth accident involving Taqwa buses on the route in two years with over 50 people losing their lives.
