Motor vehicle overturns in Dowa injuring 5

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A motor vehicle which was being driven by a Burundian national overturned in Dowa, injuring five passengers.

Dowa accident

The incident occurred at Lilambwe village along Dzaleka_ Dowa turn off road at about 16: 30 on 19 February.

According to Dowa police station Publicist Sergeant Richard Mwakayoka Kaponda, the motor vehicle was carrying Burundian nationals who had gone to Dzaleka Refugee camp to get their food ration and were going back to the capital, Lilongwe.

Kaponda said the driver, Samuel Iradukunda, 24, of Bujumbula province in Burundi was driving the Toyota Probox motor vehicle registration number BT 8828 with five passengers on board, all Burundians, from the direction of Dzaleka going towards Dowa turn off.

Upon arrival at Lilambwe Village, he failed to negotiate a corner and lost control of his motor vehicle due to speeding.

The vehicle went to the far right verge where it overturned twice.

Due to the impact, Odesi Nehadi, 50 and Maria Tchunditse 60 sustained internal injuries while Blessings Nester aged 6 sustained head injuries.

Two other passengers came out with minor injuries, with the motor vehicle extensively damaged.

The injured passengers were rushed to Dowa District Hospital where they have been admitted for treatment.

The accident happened amid complaints by passengers travelling between Dowa boma and Dowa turn off over lack of enforcement of vehicle seating capacity, a situation that is putting their lives at risk.

In September last year, the passengers complained that vehicles operating on this road are mostly Toyota Proboxs and Sientas models, with a seating capacity of five but carry between 11 and 12 passengers, way far above the legal seating capacity.

Besides, all the vehicles are unlicensed to carry passengers and operate with black registration numbers, not meant to be used for the purpose.

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