The death toll from the fatal accident that happened along the Kisii-Keroka road on Saturday has risen, after another victim died while receiving treatment at the Kisii Teaching and Referral hospital.
The death toll has now risen to nine, after the confirmed eight victims at the accident scene, after a Nissan Matatu collided with oncoming motorbikes near the entrance to Kisii High school.
Confirming the death, the hospital’s medical superintendent Dr Enock Ondari said they had received twenty casualties from the accident, with two succumbing to injuries on arrival, and one dying hours later while he was being treated.
“We received twenty casualties, but two died on arrival and one succumbed to injuries while under treatment. However, we had received six bodies in our mortuary, who died instantly in the accident, therefore making a total number of the deceased to nine as per now whereby four are men, three women and two children,” said Ondari.
“Five of the patients have been discharged since they had minor injuries, while twelve have been admitted. However, those admitted are not in bad condition,” the superintendent added.
According to one of the survivors of the ill-fated Nissan Matatu, Jemimah Moraa, the driver was speeding, and they had severally warned him to slow and be careful.
“I boarded at Keumbu and I was heading to Kisii Hospital to see my child who is admitted. As we were approaching Kegati, the driver started driving recklessly and even overtaking and hitting other vehicles. The passengers shouted at him and told him to be slow and be careful or they alight,” narrated Moraa.
“When we approached Bobaracho, he defied traffic instruction to stop, but he instead increased the speed and everyone started to shout before we encountered the accident,” she added.
According to Kisii central OCS john Wamonch, the driver is said to have escaped safely and the police are hunting for him.