9 killed in road accident in western Uganda

   KAMPALA, July 19  -- Nine people, including five police officers, suspects and a three-week-old infant, were killed in a road accident in the western Uganda district of Hoima, police said Friday.
   Julius Hakiza, the police spokesperson for the Albertine region, told Xinhua on the telephone that the Thursday accident happened after the driver of a police car transporting detectives and suspects lost control and the vehicle overturned.
   "Our vehicle was being driven by a police officer transporting detectives and suspects to reconstruct a crime scene," Hakiza said. "Seven people, including three suspects, a child of three weeks and three officers died on the spot while the other two officers died while admitted at hospital."
   The spokesperson warned motorists to drive carefully while using the Albertine region roads which were newly constructed recently.
   A police report released in February said the country recorded a 30 percent increase in road fatalities in 2023, with 4,179 lives lost.