Three killed, seven students injured in grisly accidents

Three people died and seven others were injured on Saturday, February 24 in two separate accidents in Kericho County.

A Form One student from Poywek Secondary School in Ainamoi, Kericho County, died after he was ran over by the school bus as it reversed on its own.

15-year-old Bernard Kipkurui and seven other students, who sustained injuries during the incident, were on the bus carrier packing luggage and equipment in preparation for a music festival at Kericho Day Secondary school.

Kericho Traffic Base Commander Michael Kahare said the bus driver had left the vehicle parked on a slope in the school compound when its handbrake allegedly failed and the vehicle began reversing downhill.

By the time Kipkurui, who was the last one to jump off the bus, tried to the escape the accident, the bus had gained momentum. He slipped off, fell under the bus and was crushed by the rear wheels.

“The deceased was the last one from his peers to jump off the bus carrier as it gained momentum down the slope. Seven of the deceased colleagues who were with him packing musical instruments sustained various body injuries from the fall,” said Kahare.

The bus came to a sudden halt after crashing into the wall of a classroom in the school.

The injured students were rushed to Kericho Nursing Home while the body of the deceased was moved to Kericho Hospital Mortuary.

Mr. Kahare assured that police would conduct further investigations into the incident.

“We are yet to arrest the driver since he is a parastatal employee and wouldn’t escape. We are also considering the fact that he wasn’t driving the vehicle at the time of the incident,” he said.

Meanwhile, two other people died after a motorcycle they were riding on collided with a Toyota Probox at Kapkelek trading center on the Kericho – Sotik road.

After colliding with the probox, the boda-boda operator, Bernard Bett, and his 10-year-old passenger, Marion Chepkoech, fell to the ground and were run over by a lorry that was heading in the opposite direction.

“It happened that the motor cycle was heading to Kericho General direction from Sotik and on reaching the location of the accident, the rider lost control of the motor cycle and hit a Toyota Probox vehicle which was heading to the opposite direction and fell on the tarmac and was run over by the lorry which was behind the Probox,” said Kahare

The vehicles were towed to Kericho Police Station awaiting inspection, while the bodies of the deceased were moved to Kericho County Hospital morgue.