By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –

A TAXI driver in Kitwe has been found dead inside his vehicle which was parked on the road in Garneton area.

The taxi was found parked along Thorite Road with the driver lying dead inside the vehicle in unclear circumstances.

Copperbelt Commissioner of Police Joyce Kasosa named the taxi driver as John Musonda of 888 Bulangililo Township.

Ms Kasosa said police were investigating circumstances under which the driver died inside the Fan Cargo vehicle registration number ADD 3006.

She said the vehicle was discovered on Tuesday around 07:00 hours by passers-by who sensed something was wrong when they saw the driver in a motionless state.

“The body was found intact with no visible injuries and was taken to Kitwe Central Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem,” she said.

Meanwhile, two people have died while 17 others have sustained injuries after the bus they were in collided with a truck along the Chipata-Lundazi Road in Eastern Province.

Eastern Province Police Commissioner Grace Chipalila and Lundazi District Community Medical Officer Dr Allan Chisenga confirmed the accident in separate interviews yesterday.

Ms Chipalila said that the accident happened on Tuesday around 12:00 hours when a Ronsil Bus heading to Lundazi from Chipata collided head on with a Volvo truck whose driver lost control as he was descending a slope from the opposite direction.

The truck driver is in a critical condition, while one of the deceased was a conductor of the bus.

Dr Chisenga also confirmed that two people died while four others were taken to theatre for surgical observations.

In another incident, police have impounded a truck laden with Mukula logs in Chipata.

Ms Chipalila said the truck whose number plate was removed after it developed a mechanical fault was abandoned along Magwero road by unknown people.