Driver in Mwingi accident that killed 10 pupils freed on Ksh.1M bail

The lorry driver accused of causing the fatal Mwingi accident that led to the death of ten pupils has been granted Ksh.1 million cash bail.

Appearing before Mwingi Law Court’s Principal Magistrate Kibet Sambu, Abdullah Hassan was charged with nine counts of causing death by dangerous driving contrary to Section 46 of the Traffic Act Cap 403.

Hassan was released on a bond of Ksh.5 million and two sureties of the same amount, as well as an alternative cash bail of Ksh.1 million.

The case was set for mentioning on August 20, 2018.

Confirming the Saturday night accident, Kitui OCPD Muthuri Mwongera said the school bus was hit by the truck causing it to roll several times before plunging into a dry river bed.

The pupils were returning from a trip to Mombasa when their school bus collided with the truck at Kanginga bridge, about 1 kilometer from Mwingi town on the Thika-Garissa Road at around 11pm.

The crash killed ten pupils of St. Gabriel Academy in Mwingi, Kitui County.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed said she had deployed a team of officials to assess the crash.

“The Ministry has dispatched senior officials under the leadership of the Regional Coordinator for Education, Eastern Province to Mwingi Level IV Hospital to assess the situation and work with various government Agencies to ensure good healthcare for the survivors,” said Amb. Amina.