A one year old baby has died on the spot after it was run over by a vehicle in Chasefu’s Phikamalaza area, Eastern Province.

Police have named the deceased  toddler as Geoffrey Mtonga,  of Gimusangu Village in Phikamalaza chiefdom in Chasefu District.

The incident occurred on November 22, 2024 at around 15:00 hours in Gimusangu Village along Gimusangu-Phikamalaza gravel road, 50km East of Lundazi-Chama Road.

Eastern Province Commissioner of Police, Robertson Mweemba,  has confirmed the incident to Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Lundazi.

“Lundazi police traffic section recorded a fatal road accident which involved a 1 year old boy who sustained fatal head injuries and died on the spot,” said Mr Mweemba.

Mr Mweemba stated that the Road Traffic Accident happened when the driver of the Toyota Surf Registration Number ACM 9687 was stopped by the father of the deceased while the infant was by the roadside.

The father of the now deceased son told police that he was not aware that the child had followed him to the road side.

Mr Mweemba continued that after the conversation, Kondowe Fumu 48, of Mutaba village, in Phikamalaza chiefdom, in Chasefu District started the vehicle, without realizing that the toddler was under the vehicle.

It was at that point that the rear wheel of the vehicle ran over the child, resulting in his death.

The body of the  infant has been deposited in the Lundazi District Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem.