NORTHERN PROVINCE

MUSANZE — One person died on the spot while residents and police rescued five others, after a Wednesday-evening motor accident on the Kigali-Gisenyi high way.

The accident involving a commuter taxi with five people aboard happened at about 8.00 pm, a few kilometres from Ruhengeri town. The dead was identified as Farida Nyiransabimana, 50, a resident of Nyamirambo- Kigali city suburb.

While the injured, currently admitted in Ruhengeri hospital, with fractures were identified as Nzeyimana Esperance, Nyiraruhanga Namukuze, Nyinawinka Theresa, Nyiraharerimana Salama and the driver John Kayitare, all residents of Kigali.

Police attributed the accident to over speeding; reportedly because the occupants heading to Kigali, from Goma, with 400 tightly wrapped loads of clothes on board wanted to dodge revenue officials. The vehicle swerved off the main road and rolled 100 metres into the valley, eye witnesses said.

Wailing residents called the police for rescue saying a taxi had disappeared deep into the valley from the steep slopes.

According to eye witnesses, their merchandise helped to shield the survivors. "We heard screaming with noise as the car crashed with stones, descending the steep slope, before it finally rested 100 metres from the road down the valley,’’ Claude Nsengimana said.

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