Speeding driver kills four school children, arrested
Malawi Police in Zomba are keeping in custody, Maxwell Mathande, 43, for killing four primary school children and injuring another who is in coma at Zomba Central Hospital with a car he was driving at high speed along Zomba–Limbe road on Tuesday.
According to Eastern Region Spokesperson, Joseph Sauka, the accident happened at 5 miles when the driver of a motor vehicle registration number SA 3170 a Toyota Corolla was going towards Limbe from Zomba.
“He lost control of the vehicle due to over speeding and went to the extreme far side of the road and hit the five children who were going back home from Chikala primary school. Four of the children died on the spot while one is in critical condition at the Zomba Central Hospital,” he said.
The Spokesperson said the driver has been charged with an offence of causing death by reckless driving contrary to section 126(4c) of Road Traffic Act (RTA) and will appear before court soon.
Zomba District Commissioner, Emmanuel Bambe said he was shocked at the news of the untimely loss of the four children describing it as a tragedy to both the bereaved families and the district.
“Death is imminent but when it comes this way on innocent souls that were endeavoring to become reliable future leaders, it is shocking. Let us join the families as district council during burial of the deceased,” he said in his post on Zomba District Council Senior Managers Whatsapp from Lilongwe.
According to Sauka the four deceased were Ellena Odilo, 10, James 11, Faith Mussa 5 and Wilson Mtila 8, who were pronounced dead at the hospital.
The other one is Chisomo Mtaukira 9, who is the one battling for his life in hospital.
All the children came from Tawakali Village, TA Chikowi in Zomba.
Sauka observed that fatal road accidents have slightly increased this year in eastern region according to statistics which show that in 2016 in the period January to February, a total of seven fatal road accidents were recorded as compared to eight this time around.
He cautioned drivers to exercise care for other road users such as those that walk on foot bemoaning the attitude of many drivers now that are not observing the speed limits posted on our roads and have ended up killing innocent people like in this tragic accident in Zomba which he said could have been avoided.
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Let us a country revise our Road Traffic regulations. Such kind of drivers need not be issued driving Licences for the rest of their live because they are a threat to the society.
It’s extremely shocking to hear of these deaths of innocent pupils,may God rest their souls in peace!.
May their innocent souls rest in peace