The police fraternity in Rukiga district including government officials are mourning Assistant Superintendent of Police -ASP Richard Asiimwe Kato 59, who has today morning succumbed to road crash injuries.
ASP Kato was on Saturday knocked by a speeding Canter UBF 422N that was being driven by Lucky Matsiko 20, a resident of Kagango cell, Rubare town council, in Ntungamo district. Matsiko took off after knocking ASP Kato who was riding on a police motorcycle UP 8582.
The road crash which has resulted in ASP Kato’s demise also injured a civilian identified as Paul Barigeya 52 who was coming from his garden. ASP Elly Mate, the Kigezi regional police spokesperson, said Barigeya was hit by branches of the tree that was rammed into by Matsiko.
Mate explains that at around 12:30 pm at Rwabahazi cell, Muhanga central ward, Muhanga town council along Kabale Mbarara highway, the above speeding vehicle was coming from Ntungamo heading to Kabale but its driver lost control.
“The driver drifted to the opposite lane and knocked the oncoming motorcycle which was heading to Ntungamo. The driver went ahead and knocked trees on the roadside whereby branches hit the second victim who was from his garden heading to his home,” ASP Mate said.
Efforts were made to save ASP Kato and the civilian’s life. The victims, according to Mate, were rushed to Rugarama hospital, in the Kabale district for medical attention. However, ASP Kato breathed his last on Sunday morning.
“Preliminary cause is speeding and efforts to arrest the driver are underway since he’s on the run. Both the vehicle and motorcycle are parked at the Muhanga police station pending to be inspected,” ASP Mate said.
The road crash that has claimed the life of ASP Kato has come three days after police released the 2022 traffic police which showed deaths on Uganda roads had increased from 10 people daily to 12.