Gulu Grade I Magistrate’s court has fined a driver fined 13.5 million shillings after finding him guilty for causing the death of four people including Dr Benjamin Henry Obonyo, the former Health Minister in the short-lived Gen Tito Okello, military government. In addition to the fine, the driver ill also serve two years in prison.
Paul Owino, the Gulu Grade I Magistrate convicted Denis Gakumba, 30, on all of the nine counts on Thursday last week. Each count carries a sentence of two years making it 18 years for the nine counts. However, the convict will serve his jail term concurrently meaning he will spend two years in jail.
The counts include; four counts of causing deaths through reckless driving and five counts of causing bodily harms through reckless driving.
Gakumba was ordered by court to pay the 13.5 million shillings within seven days or face two years in prison. At the time of publishing this story Acholi Times could not establish whether the convict was in position or not to pay the money.
Gakumba lost control of his vehicle, a Super Custom registration number UAU249, after the right front tyre of the van burst forcing the car to overturn several times, killing the late Dr Obonyo and three family members instantly. Five other family members survived the accident with injuries.
The accident happened on 2 January this year while driving a vehicle registration number UAU 249 K along Gulu-Kampala Highway at Minakulu. The accident occurred at St Thomas More in Bobi Sub-county, about 32 kilometers south of Gulu Town.
Those who lost their lives in the accident were Kevina Obonyo, 65, the wife to the late Dr. Henry Benjamin Obonyo, 75, and their daughters Elizabeth Obonyo, 45 and Marjorie Obonyo, aged 30.
The late Dr Obonyo’s daughter Karoline Obonyo and his grandchildren Annabel Obonyo, Gabi Obonyo and Adellia Obonyo sustained injuries from which they have since recovered.
Magistrate Owino ruled that court was satisfied with all the evidence presented against Gakumba and convicted him and ordered Gakumba was to pay 13.5 million shillings in fine in addition to the jail term.
Obonyo, who also served as minister of industry died in accident while he has was travelling with his family to his home village in Madi-Opei in Lamwo District. He and his family were resident in the United Kingdom.
