By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA-
A ONE-YEAR-OLD baby has died after being run over by a vehicle while at church in Kitwe.
The baby was run over within the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church premises in Ipusukilo Township by a Toyota Furn Cargo vehicle while its mother was attending a church service
Copperbelt Police Chief, Joyce Kasosa confirmed the incident which happened on Saturday.
Ms Kasosa said the toddler, identified as Joseph Mwansa wandered off while the service was in progress.
Without noticing the toddler, the driver, Peter Ndonji, 30, of Ipusukilo Township reversed the vehicle and accidentally crushed the baby. The mother has been identified as Esther Mwansa.
Ms Kasosa said the baby sustained head injuries and died on the spot.
“Like I have said before, my appeal to parents and guardians is that they need to be more caring when it comes to securing the safety of little ones because here is a one-year-old baby who is excited about walking and is let free without the parent keeping an eye on it,” Ms Kasosa said.
Meanwhile, police have launched a manhunt for a suspect who sodomised an eight-year-old girl in Chimwemwe Township.
The girl of Kawama Township was sodomised last week in Chimwemwe Township where she had gone to visit.
Ms Kasosa said when the girl got home, her mother noticed that she was not walking properly.
When quizzed, the girl told the mother that she had been sodomised by a man whom she could identify.
In another case, police in Kitwe are pursuing a man behind the dove that was found on Sunday morning at Nakadoli Police Post in Chimwemwe with a letter containing threats on the life of Boniface Mwamba, a business executive.
Police said the man behind the dove with a letter containing threats on Mr Mwamba’s life could be traced.
They said this was because Mr Mwamba had admitted knowing him, as the two are believed to have had some altercation before, which could have necessitated the threats.
Mr Mwamba yesterday said that he was looking for the man he suspected was behind the threats on his life.
“I don’t owe him any money and I know he is just after tarnishing my reputation. Right now I am looking for him because he is wanted at the district police headquarters,” Mr Mwamba said.