Sumbawanga — THREE people died in different incidents, where two were struck by a bolt of lightning that left six others wounded in Sumbawanga Municipality.

The two were killed on Sunday,following heavy rains accompanied by lightning in Kankwale. One of the victims, a Form One student at Katuma Secondary School, Adrick Tweve (14), met his fate while grazing cattle in a nearby forest in the area.

The Rukwa Regional Police Commander (RPC), Mr Jacob Mwaruanda, named the other victim as Raphael Alberto (23) who was struck while drinking local brew with six others who were injured. According to the RPC, two seriously injured victims whose names could not immediately be established were admitted to Rukwa Regional Hospital and Dr Atman Hospital.

The Municipal Doctor-in-Charge, Dr Ally Makori Mussa, told this newspaper that four of the lightning victims were treated at Kankwale health facility and discharged, while the other two were rushed to the two hospitals. In another incident, Jame Chibuyuwa (41), a driver with the Sumbawanga Municipal Council committed suicide by hanging himself to death, using manila rope in his room in Katandala.

Chibuyuwa is said to have been afraid of being arraigned for overturning an office vehicle he was driving. It was further alleged that he was the sole occupant of the house in Katandala. The RPC explained that the accident, involving the vehicle with registration number DFP 1070, a Toyota Land Cruiser owned by the Sumbawanga Municipal Council, veered off the road while he was returning to Sumbawanga town from Kankwale, where he had taken medical personnel to attend victims of lighting.

Preliminary investigations show that the deceased was under heavy influence of alcohol. Meanwhile, Fatma Abdu reports that two people died in separate road accidents in Dar es Salaam on Monday. Ilala Regional Police Commander (RPC), Ms Marietha Minangi, said yesterday that a person died at Tabata Bima after he was hit by a Toyota Land Cruiser with registration number 298 ACG.

Ms Minangi identified the deceased as Juma Ally (14) of Tabata Bima in Ilala District and police have arrested the driver, one Kassim Suleiman (30), whom they suspect caused the accident through careless driving.

In another incident, the Kinondoni Regional Police Commander (RPC), Charles Kenyela, confirmed the death of Habibu Abasi (20) which occurred after a Toyota pick up with registration number T952 BHZ rammed into a Toyo motorcycle at Boko along Bagamoyo Road. The police have arrested the driver of the vehicle, Michael Mwanzalima (32), who is said to have caused the accident.