The High Court in Mansa today fined a 33 year old man of Sumbu Village in Chief Kalasa Lukangaba’s area in Mansa District, an amount of K6 million for causing death by dangerous driving.
Before High Court Judge Justice Fulgence Chisanga was Margly Nkona, who pleaded guilty to four counts of causing death by dangerous driving contrary to section 161(1) Act number 11 of 2002 of the Laws of Zambia.
Facts before the court were that on April 8, 2010, around 17.35 hours, the accused was driving an ERF truck registration number ABH 6497, on Chembe Mansa Road.
The court heard that while NKona was trying to overtake a Fuso Truck ahead, he hit into another vehicle which had stopped to drop some passengers at Chamaboyi village.
Four people identified as Arnold Chalwe, Joyce Chama, Cephas Mumba, and Febby Chama were killed in the process while others were seriously injured.
In passing judgment, Justice Chisanga said the court found the accused guilty to four counts of causing death by dangerous driving and fined him K1.5 million on each count.
She said the K6 million fine will be paid in three (3) months.
The High Court also fined Michael Mulonga, aged 28, a driver at Milenge District Council, K1.2 million, after he was found guilty to one count of the offence of causing death by dangerous driving contrary to section 161 sub section 1 of Act number 11 of 2002 of the Laws of Zambia.
In the same court, justice Chisanga fined a 31-year-old man K2 million after he was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving contrary to section 161subsection 1 Act number 11 of 2002 of the Laws of Zambia.
Before High Court Judge Justice Fulgence Chisanga was Kabaso Mwenya, who stood charged and pleaded guilty to the offence of causing death by dangerous driving.
And in passing the judgment, Justice Chisanga said despite the accused being the first offender and did not waste time for the court, it was still regrettable that a life was lost.
Justice Chisanga therefore fined Kabaso Mwenya K2 million payable in instalments of K500, 000 in four months.
She said Mwenya must finish paying the fine at the end of April this year, or faces a 9 month simple imprisonment.
ZANIS
traffic laws need to be cemented in zed. we should also hear bout fines for bus operators, they kill alot of people every year. hope such cases can bring sanity to our roads.
You cannot put a value on life and no amount of money can replace the life of a dear departed one. However, charging a k2m for causing death by dangerous driving is a mere slap on the wrist – it’s shocking!! These penalties are based out dated penalty fees which must urgently be revised.
There are just so many wreckless accidents on Zambian roads, most of them avaoidable and stiff punishment could act as a deterrent.
#2 Because you are rich with Pounds. My brother, K2m in Mansa is alot of money. And remember that is only in your modern courts. There are also traditional charges, among the Ushi of Chembe, it common that they may demand a fresh woman.
#2 The driver did not drive with an intention to kill though he was careless and am sure was not drunk at the time of the accident ,i therefore feel Her Honour’s judgement was in line with modern sentencing there no neeed to cage everbody for all unfortunate things.Howvere if he drove with intention to kill or cause an accident which is difficult to verify then he would have gone in for life for killing people.Overall the skills of drivers in Zambia are very bad,there is need to change the testing /licencing criteria more and more people are dying from cars than from armed robberies.We need to find solutions to this new killer disease.
#1-#4. Even pedestrians are contributing to traffic accidents. People no longer follow the traffic rules such as pedestrians must walk on the right hand side on the road, they just walk any and cross roads without care. The same goes for cyclists, they don’t keep to their side. You see that they swing from one side of the road to another. Unlike in the past when the Police used to check the fitness of bicycles today most bicycles do not have the most basic requirements such as breaks(they use their foot heels to stop the bicycle) and lights. It is time road tax was introduced for bicycles. What is required is that we reintroduce road rule in primary schools
high on katata and katubi
Killing some by dangerous driving in Zambia is very cheap. These laws should be revised