A Kenyan motorist has narrated a near death encounter he suffered at the hands of a rogue truck driver and how his efforts to seeks justice landed him at the mercy of an accomplice police officer.
The motorist, who identifies himself as Mistatash, noted that the he was driving along Limuru Road at night when he spotted an abnormally wide load moving the opposite direction.
Instinctively, he swerved quickly to avoid a collision only to later discover that the truck was loaded with a double cabin truck on its back in abnormal manner.
"Unfortunately, the rear right side of my car is struck causing a major dent. I check my side mirror and to my shock, driving past me is a dangerously loaded Mitsubishi Canter flatbed carrying a double cabin truck which is tied across the bed of the truck, with its front and rear hanging at least four feet on each side, cutting across both lanes of the road. What caused the hit was its rear bumper," he lamented.
"Proper procedure dictates that in such operations, there should have been a clearance vehicle, wide load signage, reflectors, and signal lights to safely guide other road users."
Not to be bogged down, Mistatash embarked on a spirited chase against the truck in hope of holding the driver accountable.
When he caught up with the truck, he discovered that its driver, who repeatedly denied hitting his car, was drunk. After a back and forth, the rogue driver reportedly attempted to settle the fallout by paying the complainant a one-off fee of Ksh2,000.
Following an initial unsuccessful attempt to reach a police officer at a nearby police station, Mistatash turned to his friend to connect him to another officer from Karuri Police Station.
The officer who responded eventually demanded the duo to drive to the police station to sort the issue out but the motorist was adamant that inspection be carried out at the scene of the accident. Later, he discovered that the truck was destined for Karuri Police Station.
"Upon reaching Karuri Police Station he orders me to wait at the reception as he follows the truck driver to the yard to offload," the motorist lamented. Soon after, he noticed that the truck was cleared to leave while he awaited an OB number.
After booking an OB number, Mistatash was then instructed to return to the station on Monday to sought out the case.
"There can only be one reason why the cops would allow one person to break all the laws on the road, conflict of interest. Judging by their actions, I have no doubt one of them owns that truck that’s why they are protecting him at all costs while posing a danger to all motorists," he concluded.
Kenyans.co.ke reached out to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) over the matter who confirmed that its officers were investigating the matter.
According to Kenyan Laws, individuals transporting wide loads are expected to make applications prior to the trip. Motorists who display the wide load signs on vehicles that do not meet requirements risk a fine of Ksh10,000.
“Our attention has been drawn to the widespread display of 'wide load' signage on the front and rear of the pick-ups either when load carried does not exceed the overall allowed width, or when not carrying any load contrary to the provisions of the law,” reads the NTSA stipulations.
“Section 3 (a) of the Traffic Act Cap 403, states that “the required maximum overall width of a motor vehicle together with any load projecting beyond the overall width of the vehicle shall not exceed 2.65 metres."
Those found culpable also risk a jail term of three months.
