Motorist jailed for knocking dead three pedestrians while drunk
A Nyeri court has sentenced a driver to six years in jail for killing three pedestrians while driving his private vehicle while drunk.
Senior resident magistrate Phillip Mutua also suspended Mr George Kamau Nduati’s driving licence for three years.
The magistrate however gave the accused an alternative of paying a fine of sh305,000.
Mr Nduati faced four counts of driving an uninsured vehicle and causing death while driving his pick-up double cabin vehicle.
The prosecution led by Pauline Mwaniki said Mr Nduati committed the traffic offence on May 16, 2015 at 7pm along Nyeri-Mukurweini road near Tambaya trading centre.
Ms Mwaniki further told court that Mr Nduati hit and killed on the spot Mary Wangari Karuga, 65, Gidraf Wagura Maruhi, 42, and a cyclist Joseph Gichuru Gathafa, 54.
The accused denied the offences. Prosecution called 11 witnesses in the case.
BAD CONDITION OF ROAD
In his defence, Mr Nduati denied that he was drunk and attributed the accident to the bad condition of the road which he said was under construction.
He said the area where the accident happened is a blackspot and that he has a 10-year experience as a driver.
An eyewitness George Muchiri told the court that the vehicle was driving in a high a high speed of about 120 or 180KPH.
“The vehicle was in high speed and was being driven in a zigzag manner. I was walking towards Tambaya and I saw the pedestrians being hit,” said Mr Muchiri.
While passing the judgement, the magistrate dismissed Mr Nduati’s mitigation that he was his family’s sole breadwinner and his wife and children solely depend on him.
“Sentence of causing death by dangerous driving is not an ordinary type of crime, people who commit it do not have prosperity for it and do not commit for gain, revenge or lust or to emulate other criminals,” added the magistrate.