A six year-old boy died in Zomba after a Directorate of Road Traffic Safety Services vehicle knocked him down at Thondwe Trading Centre where angry people attacked the driver before the police rushed to the scene to intervene.
Eastern Region Police confirmed the incident and identified the driver as a 39 year – old Kadzulani Gibson Ndhlovu who was driving a Nissan Hardbody registration number MG729 from Zomba towards Blantyre.
Police Public Relations Officer for the Eastern Region, Inspector Joseph Sauka said Ndhlovu allegedly hit the boy, Viza Gama as he was crossing the main road from the right to the left side of the road at Thondwe Trading Centre.
Sauka added that the driver stopped to pick the boy when people at the trading centre attacked him compelling him to flee to Namadzi Police Station where he reported the accident.
“The police rushed to the scene only to be greeted by the angry crowd that also attacked them and injured two police officers in the course of the confrontation,” said Inspector Sauka.
The police publicist said police took the injured boy to Zomba Central Hospital where he was confirmed dead on arrival.
“The police took statement from the driver as they are currently looking for people who attacked him and prevented the police from discharging their duties on the accident spot,” he said.
Sauka, therefore, appealed to the public to avoid attacking drivers whenever a road accident occurs considering that the development delays treatment of road accident victims.
“In the case of the accident in question much time was wasted during the chaos,” Inspector Sauka said adding; “In the interest of the boy’s life, the people at Thondwe Trading Centre could have allowed the driver to pick the boy to hospital for medical attention.”
The deceased came from Saidi Kanama Village in Traditional Authority Chikowi in Zomba while Ndlovu comes from Kaiwale Village in the area of Traditional Authority Chikulamayembe in Rumphi.
Source:Mana