The state has failed to prove that a truck driver in Mzuzu obstructed President Lazarus Chakwera’s convoy.
The driver, Lusungu Chibisa Chirwa, was arrested on Sunday after police accused him of not stopping for the president.
On Sunday officers tried to stop Chirwa at three different points but he ignored them. He was arrested later at Kadikechi. At the time, President Chakwera was travelling from Mzuzu to Lilongwe.
Chirwa appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate Court in Mzuzu on Monday on charges of failing to produce a licence and failure to stop for a presidential convoy.
He pleaded guilty to the charge of driving without licence but he denied obstructing the president’s convoy.
In his today ruling on the obstruction charge, Senior Resident Magistrate Godfrey Nyirenda said the state failed to prove that Chakwera’s convoy was in motion when Chirwa was signalled to stop.
Nyirenda then acquitted Chirwa and ordered police to release the truck which he was driving.
On the charge of failing to produce a licence, Magistrate Nyirenda Chirwa ordered Chirwa to pay K150,000 or serve 12 months jail sentence.
Failing to stop for the presidential convoy is an offense contrary to Section 123(1) of the Road Traffic Act and failing to produce a driver’s license is an offense contrary to Section 18 of the same Act.
