By CLEVER ZULU –

FIVE people have died on the spot while 16 others sustained injuries after the Toyota Hino truck they were on was hit by a passenger train at a rail crossing at Shikoswe in Kafue.
Meanwhile, Government has sent a message of condolences to the families of the 17 victims of the Mazabuka road accident which happened on Monday morning.
The Kafue accident happened on Monday around 19:00 hours after the driver of the truck failed to give way to the train at the crossing.
Police spokesperson Charity Chanda said out of the injured, 13 sustained serious injuries, while three were treated and discharged.
Ms Chanda said there were no casualties on the train.
The driver of the truck fled the scene of the accident but later handed himself to the police and will appear in court soon for five counts of causing death by dangerous driving.
An onlooker, who wanted to take advantage of the situation to steal from the accident victims at the scene, also sustained serious injuries after being beaten by members of the public.
The bodies of the victims are at Kafue District Hospital, while those injured are admitted to the same hospital.
Ms Chanda has also clarified the number of deaths recorded in the Mazabuka accident which took place on Monday morning as 17.
Acting Chief Government spokesperson Joseph Katema said Government conveyed condolences to the bereaved families of the 17 people who died.
“The death of so many people in a single road traffic accident is shocking and a great loss to the nation. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families for comfort and strength during this period of extreme pain,” he said.
Dr Katema, who is Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Minister, added that Government also wished the injured a quick and full recovery.
Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary Sturdy Mwale visited the injured accident victims from both accidents who have since been transferred to the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka.
Meanwhile, the country has recorded an increase in the number of accidents recorded over this year’s Easter holiday.
There were 291 accidents which left 49 people dead this year compared to 2014 Easter holidays when 184 accidents saw 35 people lose their lives.
“These accidents left 49 people dead, 79 seriously injured and 93 slightly injured,” Ms Chanda said.
Out of the 184 accidents recorded last year, 30 were fatal, 35 serious while 59 were slight injury accidents.
She alluded that the cause of accidents that happened during this period were due to human error.
Police are also still pursuing the people that stoned to death a teacher in Chilanga on Sunday morning.
He was allegedly found naked in a field belonging to a family in the same area.