By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
FOUR people died on the spot in a road traffic accident on the Serenje-Samfya Road in Luapula Province.
The fatality happened when the vehicle, the victims were travelling in, overturned on Sunday afternoon 52 kilometres from Musaila junction.
Nine other people in the same vehicle survived and are being treated at Samfya Hospital.
Luapula Province Police Commissioner Hudson Namachila said in a statement yesterday that the accident involved a Toyota Regius, registration number ALX 4634 driven by Burton Kunda, aged 19 years, of Njelele Primary School in Serenje.
Mr Namachila said Mr Kunda was driving from the southern to the northern direction when he reached Londwe Village in Chief Kalasamukoso’s area when the rear left tyre burst, causing the vehicle to lose control and, in the process overturning.
Four unidentified passengers died on the spot while nine other passengers sustained multiple cuts.
The injured were admitted to Samfya Hospital.
Meanwhile, two elderly men in Kalabo, Western Province, have died after taking a dose of a sex booster prescribed by a traditional healer.
The two men, Fidelis Simwaka, 78, of Kolola area at Lishita Village in Chief Mwanamwaye’s area in Senanga District and Ndumba Katembo, 52, of Kapalu Village in Chief Mulutu’s area in Kalabo District, died on Saturday after taking a traditional concoction.
Western Province Police Commissioner Charles Lungu said in an interview yesterday that the two took the traditional concoction in a bid to enhance their sex performance.
“After consuming the traditional concoction, the two started vomiting and later called the traditional healer informing him about the problem. They explained to their family members what they had consumed,” he said.
Mr Lungu said the traditional healer went to Mr Katembo’s house and assured them and their family members that they would feel better after vomiting.
He told them that there was nothing sinister about their vomiting.
However, the vomiting continued until family members took the two men to Shang’ombo District Hospital where they died upon arrival.
Mr Lungu said the traditional healer had since run away from his home and a manhunt had been launched.