Police hunt for runaway drivers who knocked three people dead

HOIMA- Police in the Albertine region are hunting for drivers who are accused of causing a fatal car crash, which left three people dead and two injured in Hoima and Kikuube districts.

Police have identified the deceased as Jonan Tasobya, a resident of Musijjamukulu in Buhimba sub-county, Kikuube district; Eric Asiku a resident of Muziranduru village in Kiziranfumbi sub-county, Kikuube and Faustino Nyai, a resident of Hoima city and employee of Bwendero Dairy Farm.

According to Police region spokesperson Julius Hakiiza, the crash, which claimed Tasobya occurred at Kasingo on Hoima-Fort Portal road in Hoima city at 7:20 pm on Wednesday.

The crash involved a Toyota Premio vehicle (UAL 312C), motorcycles (UER268L and UAZ175J) and a lorry (UAQ534C).  

According to him, as the driver of the Premio was overtaking a lorry, which was packed on the roadside heading to Kikuube district at a hill, he knocked a bodaboda rider who was coming from Kikuube district heading to Hoima city.

The victims fell on the lorry and under the tyres of the Premio ran over Tasobya who died on the spot and his passenger got injured.

The injured passages are Innocent Asigunza, a resident of Musaijamukulu who is currently hospitalised, while Kenneth Arinda, 25, a resident of Kitoba sub-county in Hoima district, is in critical condition.

Addressing the media in his office on Thursday, Hakiiza said the vehicles and motorcycles were taken to Hoima City Police Station where they are being kept as the investigations into the crasht continue.

Joining the road

Another crash that claimed the life of Faustino Nyai occurred at Butiaba-Kigorobya-Biiso-Buliisa road on Wednesday at about 5:00pm in Mparanjwoki village in Hoima city.

According to him, the crash occurred after the driver of a Toyota Premio (UBC993D) coming from Buliisa district knocked Nyai, who was riding Yamaha UDF 571Z.

He noted that the deceased was connecting to the main road as he moved from work at Bwendero Dairy Farm in Kitoba sub-county adding that the driver fled with the vehicle and that Police are hunting for him and the vehicle.

Falling off the tractor

Another crash occurred on Wednesday at Kyandagano village in Muteeme parish in Kiziranfumbi sub-county in Kikuube district after the deceased Asiku fell off the tractor he was moving on.

According to Hakiiza, Asiku, a sugarcane loader, fell off a tractor (UBG488Y/UAY348U), which was carrying sugarcane and the tires of the tractor ran over him causing him to die on the spot.

He added the driver also took fled and left the tractor at the scene of the crash. The tractor was towed to the Kikuube Police Station.

According to Hakiza, the bodies of the deceased were handed over to the relatives for burial after postmortem.