Oketch Bitek
5 November 2009
Kampala — FIVE people died on the spot and 11 were injured when an army truck collided with a commuter taxi on the Gulu-Kampala highway yesterday morning.
The accident occurred at about 11:00am at Baromal in Koro sub-county, six kilometres south of Gulu town.
According to the Gulu traffic Police boss, Canicius Mugisha, the dead included the taxi driver, Dick Okumu, and four passengers of the taxi.
"Five people died on the spot while the three occupants of the Jiefang army truck fled the scene," said Patrick Okello, an eye-witness.
The identities of the other dead could not be established by press time, but according to traffic officers one of them was an Indian lady.
"The taxi was speeding and the Jiefang, carrying construction sand and coming from the direction of Kampala, was driving in the middle of the road," said Okello.
The taxi that was heading to Lira town from Gulu was thrown off the road and ended up about 60 meters from the army truck.
Mugisha said the turn boy of the truck, identified as Private William A. Peter, reported to the Police post at Koro sub-county headquarters.
He added that seven people were admitted at St. Mary's Hospital Lacor, while four others were rushed to Gulu Hospital, three of them in critical condition.
"Three victims who were picked up by a Red Cross vehicle were in critical condition," said Mugisha.
All the dead were ferried to the mortuary of Gulu Hospital.
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