Mon, 19 Feb 2018 09:14:08 +0000
By AARON CHIYANZO
MY life has been shattered and will never be the same again because my leg is gone, it pains me that justice is being denied in this matter, lamented 27 year old Paul Njovu whose leg has been amputated after a hit and run accident in Lusaka’s Emmasdale area.
Police are reluctant to investigate the matter because the owner of the vehicle involved in the accident is reportedly a relation to a senior Police officer. The vehicle was being driven by an unlicenced driver.
Njovu, a teacher by profession said that he had recently completed his studies and had been pushing for a job at a named school but wondered how that was now going to happen.
The young man, who is currently admitted to University Teaching Hospital (UTH) said that the accident which occurred two weeks ago, on 4th January had left him helpless as the Police he was supposed to seek justice from are the ones shielding the suspects.
Njovu is worried because the police at Emmasdale Police Station who rushed to the scene are reluctant to investigate the matter because the owner of the vehicle, a blue Toyota Corolla registration number AJB 4293 which hit into the car he was in, is reportedly related to a senior officer at the same station.
The victim’s uncle , Leonard Kapasula, told Daily Nation that he was the driver of a Nissan Caravan registration number BAG 8202 which was hit by the over speeding Corolla at a T- Junction in Lusaka’s Emmasdale area.
Mr Kasapula said that the bus which was carrying several of his relatives coming from a family meeting overturned after being hit and his nephew’s leg was badly injured in the process which prompted medical personnel to cut it off. He said that the driver or occupants of the other vehicle, which was found with half empty beer bottles were nowhere to be seen by the time the family rescued themselves from the overturned vehicle. Mr Kapasula said that despite the police identifying the vehicle in question, which was abandoned at the accident scene, they have been reluctant to make tangible follow ups on the matter.
“The driver ran away. The police from Emmasdale Station rushed to the scene, recorded a statement. When the vehicle that hit us was tolled to the station, it was discovered that it belonged a son to a police officer from there.
“After hospital, and being told to avail them my documentation, I was given a number after several days. The cousin to the owner of the car who came through only told us that the taxi driver was the one driving the car and had gone missing with his phones off. I have been trying to push the police to follow up with the owner of the vehicle since he ought to know the taxi driver but in vain,” he narrated.
Mr Kapasula strongly suspects that the police were trying to shield one of their own since it had now been two weeks after the accident but nothing helpful had come up. He said it was strange that police were dragging their feet in the matter when they had the vehicle in question and know very well who the owner was. And when contacted last evening, Police Spokesperson, Esther Katongo said she had not received the report but advised the aggrieved parties to report the matter to the Lusaka Division Traffic Officer if they feel they feel the case is being shielded and are being ill-treated.
“I f they feel they are being unfairly treated they can go to Lusaka Central police and see the traffic division officer,” explained Ms. Katongo.
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