Lorry hits and kills tax collector, driver claims brake failure

Mandera East OCPD Ezekiel Singo’e in his office on February 3, 2018. He confirmed that a tax collector was hit and killed by a lorry at a toll station. PHOTO | MANASE OTSIALO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The tax collector tried to stop the lorry at the toll station, but it hit him.
  • He was rushed to hospital and pronounced dead on arrival.
  • The lorry driver claimed brake failure.

A county government tax collector in Mandera was on Saturday hit and killed by a lorry as he tried to stop it at a tax collection point.

Mr Adan Ibrahim Hassan, 35, was hit at 8am near Moi Girls Secondary school where the Mandera County Government has set up a toll station.

BRAKE FAILURE

The lorry was loaded with sand.

“The driver of the lorry has blamed brake failure while nearing the toll station [for the accident]…but we are holding him for further investigations,” said Mandera East OCPD Ezekiel Singo’e.

“There were several other county revenue officers at the scene who rushed the victim to hospital but unfortunately he was pronounced dead on arrival.”

An eyewitness said the victim was issuing a receipt to a taxi driver when the speeding lorry hit him.

The OCPD could not confirm the presence of the taxi car at the scene.

The lorry driver, identified as Mr Dahir Mamo Samow, was being held at Mandera Police Station.

“After managing to stop the lorry, the driver pleaded with the members of the public to escort him to the police station and we have him,” said the local police boss.