Solwezi High Court Judge calls for stiffer punishment for traffic offenders

SOLWEZI High Court Judge, Obister Musukwa says there is need for the court to send out a timely message to road traffic offenders by imposing stiffer penalties in order to curb recklessness on the roads.

Justice Musukwa said the court will be failing its duty of protecting people’s lives if it does not impose stiffer penalties on road traffic offenders.

He said there is so much disregard for traffic rules and regulations which is leading to loss of lives adding that such acts will not be condoned as it is leaving families in grief.

Justice Musukwa was speaking yesterday, when he sentenced a 53year old ambulance driver at Solwezi General Hospital to six months imprisonment and fined him K4,000 for causing the death of Kayombo Kaumba by dangerous driving.

This is contrary to section 161 subsection 1 of the Road Traffic Act number 11 of 2002 of the Laws of Zambia.

Facts before the court were that Whiteson Kisonge on 21st May, 2023, whilst driving an IVECO ambulance registration number GRZ 933 CX, hit Kaumba as he was crossing Independence avenue in the Solwezi central business district.

The court heard that Kisonge, who was driving on a wrong lane at an excessive speed, neither sounded the siren of the ambulance nor hooted to alert other road users.

Justice Musukwa said he had considered the circumstances under which the offence was committed and noted that Kisonge disregarded the rules by not sounding the siren or hooting to alert other road users.

He said there was no indication on record to show that Kisonge was carrying a patient at the time of the accident.

Justice Musukwa said given the aggravating circumstances, a custodial sentence was appropriate and therefore fined Kisonge a K4,000 on top of spending six months in prison with effect from yesterday.