Court Orders Driver to Pay K500,000 Fine for Reckless Driving and Causing Deaths

A 32-year-old driver identified as Fraser Double has been fined K500, 000. by Nkhunga First Grade Magistrate Court in Nkhotakota for reckless driving and causing deaths of two people.

Double was involved in an accident which happened at Luwaladzi Trading Centre and killed 15-year-old cyclist and a 16-year-old pedestrian along the Dwangwa/ Nkhotakota road.

The deceased were identified as a 16-year-old girl named Mwayiwawo Chimenji and a 15-year-old boy, Yamikani Phiri.

Prosecutor Wills Asibu told the court that Double`s vehicle had carried 89 bags of rice heading the Nkhotakota direction.

Upon reaching Luwaladzi Trading Centre he hit a cyclist, Yamikani Phiri who was trying to cross the road and thereby his vehicle veered into another direction and also hit Mwayiwawo Chmenji who was on foot.

The girl died on the spot and later the cyclist at Nkhotakota District Hospital.

The driver pleaded guilty of causing deaths through reckless driving under section 126 subsection 4 of Road Traffic Act.

As he was passing the judgment, Magistrate Buleya mentioned of an increase in road accidents in the country which he said most of them are caused because of reckless driving which is a thing that can be prevented by a responsible driver.

He then ordered him to pay a fine of K250, 000 to each death caused in default of a two-year-jail term.

The driver managed to pay the fine.

The K150, 000 from every K250, 000 paid was said to be given to each of the affected families.

Fraser Double is from Maunga village in the area of Traditional Authority Mphuka in Thyolo District.