Police in Machinga have arrested a 26-year-old driver for causing deaths of four people due to reckless driving.

Machinga police deputy publicist, Ngwashape Msume identified the driver as James Mtambo who was driving a Toyota Land cruiser Prado registration number BM 2704.

According to Msume, the suspect who was heading towards Machinga from Liwonde with eight passengers on board was overtaking a minibus and ended up colliding with a Scania lorry registration number CZ 5426 which was coming from the opposite direction.

Following the impact, four passengers from the Toyota Prado died on the spot due to severe head injuries and two sustained serious injuries while four others including the driver of the Prado and a passenger from the lorry escaped with minor injuries.

Meanwhile, the driver has been locked up and he is expected to appear in court to answer the charge of causing death due to reckless driving.

He hails from Namaona village, Traditional Authority Chimaliro in Thyolo district.