The Dowa First Grade Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday ordered a 27-year-old driver, Aman Kalidozo, to pay a fine of K600,000 for causing death by reckless driving.
The court through Prosecutions Officer for Central East Region, Superintendent Patrick Chambuluka heard that on April 7, 2021, Kalidozo was driving a motor vehicle registration number CP 4463 from Dowa Boma going towards Dzaleka Refugee Camp with a passenger on board.
Chambuluka further told the court that upon arrival at Besela Village, the driver failed to negotiate a right curve due to speeding and eventually the motor vehicle swerved and went off the road to the left where it hit two pedestrians, Happy Kalinda, 33, and Petro, 21.
Following the impact, the two pedestrians were taken to Dowa District Hospital where they were pronounced dead due to severe head injuries whilst the driver sustained a cut on the right fingers and the other passenger escaped unhurt.
Appearing before court, the driver pleaded guilty to a charge of causing death by reckless driving contrary to Section 126 of the Road Traffic Act.
In his submissions, the prosecutor asked for a stiff punishment saying two lives were lost due to the reckless driving of the accused.
Passing sentence, magistrate Amran Phiri concurred with the state and ordered the driver to pay a fine of K600, 000 or in default to serve 6 months imprisonment with hard labour.
The magistrate added that the money will be given to families of the two victims as compensation with each getting K300,000.
The convict has since paid the fine.
Kalidozo comes from Johnson Village in the area of Traditional Authority Kanduku in Mwanza whereas the Kalinda came from Besela Village and Petro came from Msochi Village, both from Traditional Authority Msakambewa in Dowa District.
