Driver fined sh100,000 for causing road accident

A driver who on August 19, 2015 caused body injury to two people through careless driving of a motor vehicle has been sentenced to a cash fine of sh100,000 and also ordered to pay compensation to the victims.

A 40-year-old Charles Ouma who is a resident of the Airport Road, Bar-Dege Division within Gulu municipality was convicted by a Gulu Grade One Magistrate, Celsa Biwaga on three counts of traffic offences when he pleaded guilty to the counts.

Ouma was on count one (I) convicted and fined sh100, 000= being involved in the criminal act of Careless Driving and inconsiderate use of motor-vehicle which breaches section 119 of the Traffic and Road safety Act of 1998.

The court heard that Ouma on the fate day carelessly drove a motor vehicle registered a UAS 339 F, an Isuzu, Tipper lorry, with irresponsibility that never considered about the dangers to people or other road users.

In count two (2), the court convicted and sentenced Ouma to a 30-day Community Service at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital as a punishment for having Caused body injury a another person on that same day caused severe body injury to Patrick Too-kwiny aged 43, a soldier of Uganda People's defence Forces (UPDF), military number RA17902 attached to the UPDF division four in Gulu municipality. The incident occurred while at Pece Junction where the accident occurred.

On Count three (3), the court on the same hearing found Ouma guilty of causing body injury to a 33-year-old Denis Okumu. 

Okumu is a self-employed man and resides within Pece Division in Gulu municipality. The incident occurred that same day in the same accident.

The convict was yet to be returned to court in later hours to read his sentence on third count after a morning adjournment by the Magistrate, which according to an affidavit with the clerks would not be less than sh1.5m= payable on cash basis.

The magistrate warned drivers and road users to avoid careless driving and be conscious about pedestrians and other road-users always.

Just last week, the same Gulu Magistrate's court had also sentenced another Driver who last year killed four and caused serious body injuries to four other members of the same family of former Uganda government minister, doctor Obonyo, to a tune of sh16m= or a sentence of two years imprisonment on defaulting the fine ordered by court.