Police officer dies in hijacked car accident

A traffic police car chase turned out tragic yesterday when one officer died on the spot after the car they had hijacked and used to pursue a Jitotwe passenger coach that had defects overturned.

 

Two other police officers in the same vehicle sustained several injuries and are admitted to the Solwezi General hospital.

 

The incident happened at Kimitote area along Solwezi-Mutanda road around after 09.30 hours yesterday.

 

North Western province Deputy Police Commissioner Michael Nkaka confirmed the accident.

 

Mr Nkaka named the deceased police officer as Colby Shamalenge aged 28, a constable under the traffic section.

 

He identified the other two as Emmanuel Pelekelo and Henry Zulu aged 24 and 25 respectively, both constables under the traffic section at Kyawama police station.

 

The deputy police chief said the body of the deceased is lying at Solwezi General Hospital mortuary while investigations have been constituted in the matter.

 

But according to eye witnesses, one of the three police officers controlling traffic at Food 24 restaurant approached a taxi driver and gave him money to go and buy him talk time and food.

 

The police officer is said to have retained the keys of the taxi, a Toyota Vintage registration ADC 2555.

 

But as the taxi driver disappeared on an errand to buy talk time and food for the police officer, the three police officers jumped on the car left in their custody and drove off chasing a Jitotwe passenger coach that they believed had defects.

 

In the process of the pursuit, the speeding police ‘hijacked’ car which was trying to overtake the bus and block it in front careered off the road and entered into a drainage before overturning around Kimiteto area.