13-Year-Old Witness Tells Of Fatal Accident
“I only turned around when I heard a loud thump, and saw Nau Lelea lying on the footpath with blood oozing from the left side of her head.
Tuesday 15 December 2020 | 10:55
Families of the deceased and eye witness Sarah Rogers at the scene of the accident on 14th December,2020. Photo: Laisa Lui
A 77-year-old woman died after she was allegedly bumped by a bus at Wailevu Koro in Labasa yesterday.
A witness said that the victim, Lelea Tamanilatui (Nau Lelea) had just gotten off the bus that later bumped her again.
Thirteeen-year-old Sarah Rogers who was on her way back from school was the last to have had a conversation with Nau Lelea.
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She recalled getting off the bus with Nau Lelea. She said Nau Lelea had ushered to get off before her and she would follow suit.
“I got off the bus and started walking on the footpath, Nau Lelea also got off the bus,” Sarah said.
“I only turned around when I heard a loud thump, and saw Nau Lelea lying on the footpath with blood oozing from the left side of her head.
“It is unclear to me wether the side of the bus must have brushed her. She also could not walk properly.
“I quickly ran towards her and then looked around for help.
“I saw another woman and asked for help but she couldn’t get what I was saying, but fortunately people from the village of Wailevu started coming and stopped a Land Transport Authority (LTA) vehicle, which reported the accident to Police,” she said.
Earlier in the Day
It was a normal day that Nau Lelea would go into town with her son, Serupepeli Qareqare, to do some shopping.
After their shopping, Nau Lelea got into the Qelewaqa bus on her way home while his son hoped into the bus to Wailevu Sector Office.
He said he was shocked when he received a phone call about the elderly woman in the Qelewaqa bus who had had an accident and he knew it straight away that it was his mother.
The victim was a widow, survived by her five children and grandchildren.
Mr Qareqare said his mom would always be remembered as a happy and joyful woman.
Police investigations is still continuing to ascertain the cause of the incident.
Fire in Labasa
Meanwhile, Police and the National Fire Authority are investigating a fire in Labasa which damaged two homes.
As a result, a single mother and her children and their 59-year-old neighbour are without a home.
NFA was at the scene yesterday to douse out the fire.
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