A Police Officer in Lundazi district in Eastern Province died after falling off a moving police vehicle at Kuwowo village near Kanyanga Hospital in chief Magodi’s area.
Inspector Wilford Mwila died on Sunday when a Police Vehicle he was in careered off the road and hit into a pillar.
It is alleged that on Sunday morning, Mwila, 35, in the company of Acting Officer-In- Charge Chief Inspector Elias Zulu, District Prosecutions Officer Inspector Hosea Kabwe, Sub Inspector Kelly Manda and Gerald Mwenya a Procurement Officer from Ministry of Health, had gone to Magodi at a place called Directors bar where they were drinking beer.
An eye witness told ZANIS that as the group was driving back to the BOMA, Chief Inspector Elias Zulu lost control of the Tata Van registration number ZP 506B and hit into a pillar.[quote]
In the process, the vehicle hit an 80 year old woman, Tamalanji Kumwenda, of Chitembo village in Chief Magodi’s area causing her injuries on the right leg. She was, however, rushed to Kanyanga Hospital where she was treated. Mwila later died at home.
However, a ZANIS check at Lundazi Police traffic section yesterday revealed that there was no report of an accident involving the Police vehicle. The Officers did not also book out of the station as they went to Magodi.
And when contacted for a comment yesterday, Eastern Province Commanding Officer Mary Chikwanda expressed ignorance over the matter saying she was only told about the sudden death of a Police Officer and not the accident.
She expressed surprise that no one informed her of the accident until she got it from the press. Ms Chikwanda has since dispatched Traffic Officers from the Division Headquarters to Lundazi for investigations into the alleged accident.
She promised to issue a comprehensive statement once investigations are completed.
ZANIS
Police officers drinking and driving on duty. Kanyangu should be brought back. They were very disciplined and loyal to their jobs. And always clean in their starched shorts and djamboks.
Police failing to log own accident. officer dying at home instead of the hospital. what a scandallll
# 2 …I agree…What a disaster. ….They should all be sacked.
It is clear from this tragic incident that the police are trying to conceal the truth because they realise their actions were unofficial from the beginning to the end. It’s unbelievable that even their commanding officer is kept in the dark about the accident in which a precious soul was lost. Mr Mangani, can our police be trusted?
yaba! Don’t drink and drive. It’s sad that people continue dying because of not following such a simple and straight forward rule,command,directive,order,law or whatever you want to call it.
The police should never be allowed to indulge, if so get the sober non drinkers to always drive.This makes sad reading prayers for his family; So as the Lord provides a means for a livelihood.
Drinking on duty, please avoid this kind of life, when on duty, please perform your work and when you are off duty, you can go for drinking, you see, an innocent soul lost because of group influence. Mr IG, can you make sure that the senior officer who was with the deceased is fired, how can an officer- in- charge allow his juniors to drink beer in his presence and to make matters worse on duty? please charge the officer in charge, he is not fit to run the station.
This is not an isolated incident. It is happening every day and we need to find a solution.