K120,000 for minibus drivers who carried four passengers per seat

Nov 07, 2017 National 74
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Machinga

The Nanyumbu Second Grade Magistrate Court in Machinga district has ordered four minibus drivers to pay a fine of K120,000 each.

The four are Andrew Daudi, 33, Felix Ofesi, 25, Rajab Tambala aged 33 and Rabson Nyalugwe 35.

According to Traffic Sub Inspector Martha Chigeda who is the In-charge Traffic Police at Ntaja Police Post, the four drivers were on Monday 30th October, 2017 found on the wrong side of the law after they were found driving minibuses that exceeded seating capacity.

This happened along the Bakili Muluzi Highway according to Chigeda.

She said, instead of taking the recommended 16 passengers, the drivers carried 19 passengers and some even carried 21 passengers. This made the officers to impound the minibuses and take the drivers to court considering that they have on previous occasions paid spot fines for the same offence but they never wanted to change.

All the drivers pleaded guilty to the charge of endangering safety of passengers which is contrary to section 237 of the Penal Code.

In his submission before sentence, State Prosecutor Sub Inspector Cliss Kalawa asked the court to impose a heavy penalty considering that what these drivers did is what is contributing to the increase of road accidents in the country.

He said the country is losing a lot of people due to road accidents just because of the conduct of drivers like these hence the need to give them stiff punishment so that it should be a lesson to them and would be offenders.

In mitigation, the drivers asked for forgiveness saying that they have families to look after.

Passing the sentence,  Second Grade Magistrate Maxwell Boaz conquered with the state that the conduct of the drivers is what is contributing to the increase of road accidents in the country.

He therefore ordered each one of them to pay a fine of K120,000.00. He said he has given them such a sentence so that it should be a lesson to them and would be offenders.

In a related development, the same Nanyumbu Second Grade Magistrate Court has also ordered two drivers to pay a fine of K100,000.00 each for endangering safety of passengers.

The two Kenneth Frank aged 29 and Pichesi Phiri aged  28 were driving motor vehicles Toyota Sienta registration number MC 6907 and KK 512 respectively when they met the officers who were on traffic checks.

After inspecting the vehicles, police found that the two had exceeded seating capacity and were taken to court where they were ordered to pay a fine of K100,000.00 each.

All the six have paid the fine

 

 

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74 Comments

  5. Bad lack, it’s a problem of their own making the rules are there but they deliberately ignore them so what, but there are alot of drivers who are breaking the rules but our corruption police officers let them free
    Do you remember what Archbishop Ziyaye in his homily on 6 July 2017 said about selective justice?

  9. Zopusa bas driver anyamule 4 kandalama kanu kakungogwako walakwa chan driver osakoza magets anuwo kaye bwanj

  10. Bola Kumachingako, M18 From Kamwendo to chinkhoma Kuli Mataxi Ambiri, Ndipo Timakwela Anthu 6 Per Seat, Ndiye Mukugwila Otenga Anthu 4, #nyasi Kumalawi#

  14. The Laws have not yet been approved by Parliament,so applying these laws now thats violating the constitution of Malawi.

  15. ife tinazolowela za 4-4 zo coz zimatchipa. Ama minibus akangoti 3-3 the prices amakwela ngati ukukhala wekha pa mpando.

  28. Check up apangenso ku Lilongwe kuno ama Minibus away akutionjezi kwabasi.Zoona kukunyamulani 4_4 kupita ku area 25 chonsecho mwalipira ma MK600.00 Shame on minibus drivers.

  29. With this country’s economy its better we seat 4-4 and paying less than 3 on high prices which is not fair for us passengers, look at Mozambique, Zimbabwe they are better countries than us and u think of doing better in stopping minibuses to take 4people when u can’t deal with the electricity and water like really are your brains functioning!!!wonders shall never ends

    1. sindikumvesesa wat bwanj za mozambiquizo kuno timakwela anthu 32 in each minbus ngat ukususa 4ne no yanga nd 00258860108850 ukabwelanso uzandiimbile ndzakuuze bhobho ndimakhala ku tete

    2. Martha akamaletsa 4-4 it’s not about the money it’s about the capacity of the Minibus the bus was meant to carry 3-3 if it carries 4-4 control ya minibus imavuta so it’s very easy kupanga ngozi

    3. Hehehe a Evance Mkanda ndakusekani!!!Only in Malawi a minibus can be involved in an accident bcz of its 4-4 not other technical problems like tyres, brakes and other services.The minibus drivers they don’t have a problem with it they just hike their prices and who is gonna suffer the people and tell me how much are the people paid I mean an average person just stop thinking about yourself u have to think about others not u and your family if u are well to do buy your family car and nobody will bother you but if its public transport sit 4-4 zamatama basi

  36. Mmuuu, ai, mdziko ili kunzunzana amalawi 120. 000 suiziwa iwe ukamaweluka uweluka ndi 2000 kwacha ndrama za abwanaonso zosakwana iiiii amakhotinu kodi kukhala kwake tizitele? ai, oweluza azaweluzidwanso pakuti tili mdziko la tsoka poti oipayo wa sikila komweko basi alipo oweluza wa chililungamo yemwe azaweluze moyenerera malingana ndi mlanduo

  45. A Mmalawi kubelana basi, munthu osauka kale amubeleso k120,000 nde asala ndi chani? Azidya chani? Kaya Only God knws

  48. Selective justice, possibly these drivers failed to give a bribe to those that were aprehending them, just come to Salima sengabay road you will understand what im talking about Taxis load passenges like saddines in a tin the front seat accomodates 3 passengers and you wonder how the driver operates, they pass past checks and they are left scot free, you wonder if we have standards, Shame.

  49. Muuzeni Pitala amubweretse chaponda mu kachipindamo; jijirijijiri kuweruza wa minibus mutalephera kuweruza bobo wa cashgate, bread pa nyerere eti kkkkkkk

  52. Yachepa anthu awa akuonjeza heavy akumachita kuika ma poster mu minbus ati; muno ndi folo folo ngati ndinu Ophunzira kaguleni vits anzanu a sukulu amayendera zawo;

  60. Nanga bwabji ku Blantyre kuno timakwera ma minibus 4/4 samagwira. Even nseu wa limbe thyolo samagwira. Pa No. 1 pali road block, a police samagwira chifukwa chani. Do they mean that the rules apply to outskits mini drivers instead of other routse. Plse investigate and advise

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