Mangochi killer driver fined K600 000: Caused death due to reckless driving
The Mangochi Magistrate Court has ordered that Auckland Chipeta, 35, to pay a fine of K600, 000 or in default spend 24 months in jail for causing death due to reckless driving.
According to the Mangochi Police Deputy Public Relations Officer, Amina Daudi, the court heard through Sub Inspector, Laston Sabola, of Monkey Bay Police Post that on July 27, 2017, the accused person was driving a Nissan Vannete registration number BS 4417 from the direction of Golomoti heading to Monkey Bay with three passengers on board.
Upon arriving at Luwanda’s Residence near Anglican Church, another motor vehicle was coming from the opposite direction with full lights on and as a result, the accused pulled to the side walk to avoid a head on collision.
Sabola explained that the accused then hit a male pedal cyclist, Alford Milanzi, 17, who was cycling towards the same direction with a pillion passenger, Zipa Hamera, 14, both from Chigonere Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Nankhumba in the same district of Mangochi.
The prosecutor said following the impact, both the cyclist and the pillion passenger sustained head injuries and were pronounced dead upon arriving at Monkey Bay Health Center.
The driver and all passengers escaped unhurt but the motor vehicle had its windscreen smashed with the side head lamp and bumper damaged.
Appearing in court, Chipeta pleaded guilty as charged but in mitigation begged for a lenient penalty but the prosecutor pleaded for a stiffer penalty.
When passing judgment, Magistrate Ronald M’bwana concurred with the state expressing his concern over the accused person’s conduct for driving carelessly despite the fact that the police and other stakeholders are putting in place a number of measures to reduce road accidents in the country.
According to Daudi, Chipeta is expected to pay the fine within a week after the judgment out of which K180, 000 will go to the two families of the deceased children.
Failure to pay the fine will see Chipeta spending two years in prison with hard labour.
Auckland Chipeta, hails from Sani Village in Traditional (T/A) Malemia in Zomba.
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I believe compensation to the bereaved families will be drawn from the vehicle insurance. the families need to follow up diligently on these issues coz most beneficiaries by the time the claims are out – are left out in the cold and the money non the less is drawn from the banks. Anzathuwa mukaona akumanga nyumba nkhani yake imakhala kudya ndalama za insurance ngozi ya pa mseu ikachitika. muziona amachita kuthamangira kuchipatala kukalemba ma details a ma casualty! koma ma casualty aja samauzidwa kuti mudzalandira compensation. iwowa amangogwizirana ndi ma lawyer a ku ma insurance company aja zochita. amachita kusaka… Read more »
Why giving the family of the deceased only K180,000 out of the K600,000? So, the driver of the other vehicle goes free yet he contributed to this accident, shame!
I feel sorry for the driver coz the accident was caused by the other driver who had his lights not on deam and the deceaseds families why shouod they be paid less and the govt getting the lions share