A 30-year-old driver who caused death of four teenagers due to speeding in Mangochi has been ordered to pay a K1.6 million fine.
The Mangochi Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court ordered the driver Nathan Nyirenda to pay the fine in a ruling delivered on Tuesday.
During court proceedings, Eastern Region Prosecutor Assistant Superintendent Counsel Louis Makiyi told the court that on New year’s eve Nyirenda was driving an uninsured Toyota Sienta registration number CA937 from the direction of Monkey-Bay heading Mangochi boma.
Upon arrival at Zithere pano, due to speeding, Nyirenda who has no driver’s licence lost control of the motor vehicle and swerved to the extreme offside of the road hitting 10 pedestrians in the process.
Counsel Makiyi added that, following the impact four of the casualties sustained severe head injuries and fractured legs and died at Koche Health Centre while receiving treatment.
The other three were admitted at Mangochi district hospital for sustaining various degrees of injury, while three others escaped with minor Injuries.
Appearing in court, Nyirenda pleaded guilty to the six charges which were leveled against him.
In mitigation Nyirenda asked for court leniency stating that he is a breadwinner for his family but the state objected his appeal saying that his behavior cost innocent people’s lives.
Passing judgement, Senior Resident Magistrate Joshua Nkhono concurred with the state and ordered him to pay K325,000 for each of four counts of reckless driving, K100,000 for operating a motor vehicle on a public road without insurance and K200,000 for driving a motor vehicle on a public road without license. The fines amount to K1.6 million.
Nyirenda has since paid the whole amount out of which the bereaved families will be given K1.4 as compensation.
Nathan Nyirenda hails from Chikaka village Traditional Authority Mwalweni in Rumphi.
