Presidential vehicle kills traffic policeman in Sudan

KHARTOUM, Jan 14, 2004 (dpa) — A traffic policeman in Sudan has died after being hit by a presidential vehicle, the state-run Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported Wednesday.

The report said that Habiballa Ahmed, a sergeant major in the traffic police, died after he was hit by a Mercedes-Benz car belonging to the president’s convoy which veered off the road to avoid hitting an old man who crossed the road as the convoy was passing.

According to SUNA the old man sustained only slight injuries.

President Omer al-Bashir sent his condolences to the dead man’s family.

Ahmed was deployed to help defuse a traffic jam before al-Bashir’s convoy passed. The president had earlier inaugurated a women’s hostel in an area five kilometres south of Khartoum city centre.