TANZANIA: Kikwete motorcade ‘killer driver’ in court

Written by FAUSTINE KAPAMA.

BUSINESSMAN Jackson Steven Simbo (43), who allegedly knocked to death a police officer, Corporal Elikiza Nko who was guiding a presidential motorcade in Dar es Salaam last week, appeared before Kinondoni District Court yesterday facing three traffic offences.

He is accused of causing death through dangerous driving, obstructing an official motorcade and failure to report an accident. Simbo is charged under the Road Traffic Act. If convicted he would be sentenced to a jail term of not less than three years, but not exceeding five years.

The court, according to the law, could order the convict to pay a fine not exceeding 100,000/-, in addition to the custodial sentence. Before Principal Resident Magistrate Kwey Rusema, the accused who resides at Soweto in Mbeya Region, denied the charges. He was granted bail on condition of securing two reliable sureties, who signed a bond of 2m/- each.

The case was adjourned to April 15, when the court is expected to conduct preliminary hearing of the trial. Investigations, the prosecution said, have been completed. During the hearing session, the prosecution will disclose more facts and particulars of the case to show how the accused committed the offences.

Earlier, the defence, led by advocate Edward Chuwa, requested the court to grant bail to the accused as the offences against him were bailable. State Attorney Ladislaus Komanya raised no objection to the request. Prosecuting, the state attorney told the court that the accused committed the offences on March 18, this year, along Bagamoyo Road at Bamaga Traffic Lights area in Kinondoni District in the city.

The prosecutor alleged that being the driver of a motor vehicle with registration number T 328 BML, (a Land Rover Discovery), the accused drove on the public road dangerously. According to the trial attorney, the accused allegedly drove his motor vehicle at a dangerous speed without regard to the safety of members of the public or any person.

As a result, the prosecutor said, he knocked WP 2492 Corporal Elikiza, a police officer, thereby causing her death. The prosecution told the court that on the same day and place, the accused disobeyed the instructions conveyed to him by signals by a police officer when there was an official motorcade passing.

"On March 18, this year, along Bagamoyo Road at Bamaga Traffic Lights area in Kinondoni District, having caused an accident on the said public road, he (accused) failed to report the same at any nearby police station until he was arrested by police officers," the prosecution further alleged.

Source: Daily News (27/03/2013): http://dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/15882-jk-motorcade-killer-driver-in-court