Rider fleeing from police dies in road crash in Meru

A boda boda rider traveling to Isiolo died on the spot Friday evening after a head-on collision with a lorry at Maili Saba in Meru County.

The rider was allegedly running away from police officers enforcing the ongoing curfew.

And while police claim that the incident happened before 7pm, a boda boda rider who was behind the ill-fated one told the Nation that both were heading towards Isiolo when the man, only identified as Kithinji, was knocked down at around 8:30pm.

HIT LORRY

He said the dead rider rammed into an oncoming lorry as he tried to evade a police vehicle parked in the middle of the road shortly after he had dropped a passenger.

“The police vehicle was chasing us and while the deceased was dropping the passenger, it blocked him from the front,” said the rider who escaped to evade the wrath of the officers.

Curious residents rushed to the scene after hearing a bang but were reportedly barred by the police officers from proceeding to where the lifeless body was.

JOINING HIGHWAY

Buuri Sub-County Police Commander Joseph Asugo confirmed the incident but said the rider rammed into the lorry as he was getting into the highway from a feeder road.

“He was knocked while getting into the highway from a feeder road around 6:30pm and died on the spot,” Mr Asugo told Nation by phone.

The police boss said the body was moved to Isiolo Referral Hospital mortuary and the motorbike wreckage taken to Subuiga Police Station.

HARASSMENT

Meanwhile, Isiolo residents have decried harassment by police officers enforcing the curfew that seeks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus which continues to cause havoc across the globe.

Another boda boda rider reportedly died in Isiolo town on Friday night after he rammed into a stationary lorry as he ran away from police officers who were allegedly beating him up.

But Police Commander George Kariuki dismissed the reports, saying no such incident was reported on the material night.

“We have not received such report. I am only aware of a conservancy truck whose side mirror was hit by a boda boda rider,” said Mr Kariuki.