Three killed in separate road accidents in Mzimba District

Malawi: Three people have died in two separate road accidents in Mzimba district on Friday 20, and Saturday 21, January 2023, according to the Mzimba police station's spokesperson sub inspector Peter Botha, writes Tionge Hara.

Robert Burukutu Chirwa, a grownup, Steria Banda, 45, and Wezzie Gausi, 19, have been named as the victims.

Burukutu was struck by an unknown vehicle being operated by an unknown person on the Mzuzu-Jenda M1 road in the Machecheta area on Friday night, which resulted in the first accident.

His family members rushed him to the Mzimba District Hospital, but he passed away there. Burukutu's death was caused by head injuries, according to the autopsy results.

In the second incident, Edward Maganga, 40, of Sandama Village in Traditional Authority Mbawela in Thyolo District, struck four women with a Honda Freed Saloon with the licence plate BZ 609 early on Saturday, January 21, 2023. Maganga was travelling toward Lilongwe from Mzuzu.

He arrived at the Mangoyi area along the Jenda-Mzuzu M1, but due to his speed, he was unable to navigate the offside bend. He swerved to the offside lane as a result and collided with four female pedestrians who were travelling in the same direction to attend a funeral in a nearby village.

Following the impact, Steria Banda suffered internal injuries and fractured right ribs, Wezzie Gausi had internal bleeding and both were pronounced dead on arrival at Jenda Health Centre while the other two pedestrians escaped with minor injuries. 

The driver and his passenger also escaped unhurt. The vehicle had its windscreen shattered, offside headlamp broken, offside view mirror detached, bonnet depressed, and offside part of the bumper cracked.

The driver, Edward Maganga, is currently being held by the police and will soon appear in court to answer a charge of recklessly causing death.

Due to the recent heavy rains, police in the area are warning road users, especially drivers, not to drive too fast.