By Scoop Reporter
THREE people died on the spot while five others sustained serious injuries in an accident which occurred this morning at about 09:30 hours along Great North (Mazabuka – Kafue) road at Munali hills, 48 kilometres North of Mazabuka town.
Involved was a motor vehicle Toyota Hiace Registration number BAE 3867 driven by Levinson Mweemba, 34 years of Kabobola compound in Mazabuka, with 14 passengers on board.
Police spokesperson Esther Katongo says the accident happened when the driver who, while ascending an uphill, improperly overtook a truck on a curve, and in trying to avoid a head-on collision with an on-coming vehicle, applied brakes consequently losing control of the motor vehicle which careered off the road to the right and eventually overturned several times.
Ms. Katongo says due to the impact, three passengers sustained fatal injuries and died on the spot. She named one of the deceased as Violet Habumbe of Hakoola village, in Chief Naluwama, Chikankata District while the other two; a female adult and a male adult, have not yet been identified.
“All the three bodies have been deposited in the Mazabuka general hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem. Five other passengers sustained serious injuries as follows: Rasheti Katanga, 30 years, Moono Jonathan, 22, of Chityotyola in Kafue and Rhoda Malambo, 18, of Chilanga Township, Situmbeko Namangala, 74, of Kanyama Compound in Lusaka and unknown male adult.
“All the five are admitted to Kafue General Hospital. Six other passengers and the driver sustained minor injuries of which four out of the seven slightly injured were taken and admitted to Nansenga clinic in Chikankata District while three, inclusive of the driver are admitted to Mazabuka General Hospital,” Ms. Katongo said.
She says the driver is yet to be charged with three counts of causing death by dangerous driving.
