The Lilongwe First Grade Magistrate’s Court has fined minibus driver Owen Kaponya K550,000 and revoked his driver’s license for a period of two years for causing the death of a fellow minibus driver and injuring four passengers.

Central West Region Police-based prosecutor Assistant Superintendent Saddrey Sambo told the court that Owen Kaponya, 30, on September 19 2023 at Six Miles near Engen Filling Station along the M1 road, was driving a Mazda Bongo Minibus, registration number KK5560, when he suddenly turned into the right side of the road.

He slammed into a Toyota Hiace Minibus, registration BL 4299, leaving its driver Joseph Bisiyawo, 42, dead and four passengers, namely Christopher Isaac, Lekodi Sitafuloni, McDonald Chibuka and Harold Phiri, injured.

Sambo prayed to the court to mete out stiff penalty against Kaponya to deter reckless drivers like him.

Passing sentence, First Grade Magistrate Imran Phiri concurred with the state and condemned Kaponya’s unsafe road behavior.

He slapped him with K400,000 fine for the first count of causing death by reckless driving and K150,000 for the second count of reckless driving, totaling to a K550,000 in fine.

He said K300,000 will go to the bereaved family and K150,000 will cater for the four casualties. He has since paid the fine.

Phiri went on to revoke Kaponya’s driver’s license, subsequently suspending him from driving for two years.

Kaponya comes from Chadza Village Traditional Authority (T/A) Mazengera while Bisiyawo was from Kantadza Village T/A Chadza both in Lilongwe District.