By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
A FEMALE traffic police officer has died while three others and several pedestrians have been left injured while attending to an accident scene in Isoka District on Christmas Day.
The victims were hit by an approaching vehicle around 03:00 hours at Nachanga Village in Kalunga area, 55 kilometres on the Great North Road.
The vehicle rammed into a stationary police vehicle and, in the process, hitting the victims leaving one dead.
The deceased officer, Constable Susan Muchindu, 28, of Isoka traffic section died when Gerald Sinkolombwe, 35, driving a Mercedez Benz, registration number AQB 311 from Isoka to Nakonde hit into a stationery Zambia Police Land Cruiser due to speeding and in the process hit into her and the other survivors.
Police spokesperson Esther Katongo said in a statement that Ms Muchindu, who was at that moment attending to another fatal road accident, sustained head injuries and died on the spot.
The accident that Ms Muchindu was attending to involved a Toyota X-Trail in which one person died.
The three officers that were also hit in the accident were treated and discharged, while the seven pedestrians were admitted to Isoka District Hospital.
The seven included victims from the previous accident and two villagers who rushed to render help at the scene.
The driver of the Benz is in police custody and has been charged with one count of causing death by dangerous driving.
Meanwhile, on Saturday around 19:00 hours at Kaiche area in Mpika, a 37-year-old woman died after she was hit by an unknown motor vehicle.
The victim has been identified as Catherine Mulenga who died when she reached Mpika District Hospital.
In Lusaka, a foreign national, Vincent Banglishano, 44, was shot on the left side of his belly by two criminals who attacked him in his shop around 20:50 hours.
Ms Katongo said that two criminals, one armed with a shotgun, entered Mr Banglishano’s shop on Buluwe Road in Woodlands area and demanded for money.
The victim resisted and as he was trying to escape, one criminal fired at him, while the other one went to his car which was parked outside where the wife and children to the victims were and got away with
three mobile phones and some money.
Mr Banglishano was rushed to the University Teaching Hospital where he was receiving treatment, and police have launched a manhunt for the criminals.