A freight liner driver is in police custody for killing two children and injuring their mother due to reckless driving.
Mzimba Police Relations Officer Peter Botha identified the suspect as 38-year-old Justine Ali and the two deceased children as 4-year-old Ashasi Moyo as well as 3-year-old Ernest Moyo.
According to Botha, the incident happened on 13th December as the truck belonging to Almeida Transport was coming from Raiply heading to Lilongwe whilst carrying block boards and three passengers.
“Due to over speeding and heaviness of the load the driver was having problems to control the vehicle. Upon arrival at Machecheta soon after Mzimba bridge, the truck swerved to the dirty verge of the road throwing away the block boards which in the process hit the pedestrians (the mother and two children) and the trailer overturned,”said Botha.
Following that, the mother sustained a leg fracture and the children sustained internal injuries.
They were all rushed to Mzimba District Hospital but the two children were pronounced dead upon arrival.
The three passengers that Ali had on board sustained minor injuries and the vehicle was reportedly damaged.
Ali is in custody waiting to appear in court and answer the charges of causing death due to reckless driving.
He comes from Luwalika village in the area of Traditional Authority Katuli in Mangochi while the two children hailed from Msenjere village in the area of Traditional Authority Mzikibola in Mzimba.
