Mzimba Heritage Association (MZIHA) has called on police top hierarchy to discipline traffic officers in Mzimba following the death of a child in a vehicle the officers detained at Mtambalika road block in the district on Monday.

It is said that the officers insisted the driver had to settle a K10 000 fine first, despite being told that the vehicle was carrying a sick child who was bleeding from the nose and needed urgent treatment at Mzimba district hospital.

In a statement released by MZIHA Secretary General Kingsley Jere, the association has described the conduct by the traffic officers as unacceptable.

The association said the officer would have released the vehicle – a Toyota Sienta for the child to receive urgent treatment at Mzimba hospital.

Mzimba police spokesperson Peter Botha has since blamed the driver of the vehicle for not alerting the police officers in time about the sick child he was carrying.