Londiani Tragedy: Driver’s Emotional Plea to Court
The driver of the truck that killed 52 people in an accident on July 1 at Londiani crossroads is now begging for his release on bond so that he can seek medical assistance.
On Wednesday, July 19, the driver was arraigned at Molo Law Courts, where he was issued with a charge sheet of 90 charges, including reckless driving. He was also accused of causing damage to ten vehicles, which resulted in the loss of numerous lives.
Gilbert Mutuye Mungu, 52, arrived in court in a wheelchair, with bruises all over his face after the horrifying collision on the Nakuru-Kisumu highway. He was one of nine casualties brought to Nakuru level 5 hospital.
“The accident did not happen on purpose.” “I’m pleading for a bond so that I can get treatment and then we can continue with the case,” he said.
The driver, a Rwandese national, claimed he was unaware of the brake problem on that fateful evening. He went on to say that he is a careful driver who would never desire to take the lives of innocent bystanders.
Molo Chief Magistrate Ellena Nderitu ordered that the driver be held at the Londiani Police Station in Kericho County while bail determinations are made.
She confirmed that the bail ruling decision will be made by Thursday, 20. Meanwhile, the driver will spend the night at the station, where he will be closely monitored.
ALSO READ: Rwandan Driver Recounts Fatal Londiani Junction Accident
The magistrate noted that neither the driver’s employer nor a family had appeared in Kenya since the tragedy and that if freed on bond, he may easily disappear.
The truck was on its way to Busia when it lost control and crashed into pedestrians, hawkers, and other vehicles parked along the road.
Witnesses at the site stated that the truck’s driver was attempting to avoid colliding with a bus parked on the roadside after experiencing what appeared to be a technical hitch before losing control.
In a prior interview, the driver stated that on the day of the accident, he attempted to stop the truck by stepping on the brakes but received no response. He stated that he had been driving on that route since 1997 and had never experienced such an event in the previous 26 years.
In response to the fatal accident, Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen asked motorists to be cautious on the roads, saying that speed limits in the Londiani region would be changed, bumps would be installed, and traffic signs would be made clearer.
Londiani Tragedy: Driver’s Emotional Plea to Court
