The First Grade Magistrate’s Court in Mzimba has ordered a driver for Sososo Bus, Wilson Kajawa aged 55, to pay a fine of K250,000.00 for causing death of a 4-year-old girl by reckless driving.
The driver hit to death a 4-year-old child by reckless driving at Luviri Trading Centre around Jenda.
State prosecutor Sub Inspector Wyson Phiri of Jenda Police Station told the court that the driver was speeding in a zone that he was supposed to drive slowly and it took a longer distance for him to stop.
The child was pronounced dead upon arrival at Mzimba District Hospital.
In mitigation, Kajawa pleaded guilty to a charge of causing death by reckless driving. He, however, asked the court for leniency, saying he is taking care of his old mother, paying fees for his kids and was deeply concerned by the incident as he took part assisting in the funeral arrangements.
However, state prosecutor Sub Inspector Phiri asked for a stiffer punishment, stating that it would send a strong message to other drivers who recklessly driver on the roads without consideration of other road users.
He added that the driver was deliberately driving so fast on that day so the court should impose a harsh punishment.
Passing sentence, First Grade Magistrate Loness Gumbo agreed with the state, and said the courts have the duty to see to it that offenders get what they deserve and fined Majawa to pay a fine of K 250, 000.00.
Majawa comes from Chibweya Village in the area of Traditional Authority Lundu in Blantyre.
In a related development, the same court has convicted and sentenced a 25-year-old man, Joseph Banda, of Ofesi Village in Traditional Authority Nyanja in Kasungu, to 4 years imprisonment with hard labour for breaking into a building and committing felony therein.
The court through state prosecutor Sub Inspector Wyson Phiri heard that during the night of April 26, 2023 at Jenda in Mzimba, Banda broke into Wautali Sugar Distributors Shop by digging a hole through the wall at the back and stole 57 bales and 5 packets of sugar whose value is around K1 million.
