Kombi Driver Jailed After Fatal Accident on Simon Mazorodze Road

A 33-year-old commuter omnibus driver has been sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of culpable homicide following a fatal road accident that resulted in the death of a passenger earlier this year.

The driver, Nyasha Muteweye, was found guilty of causing the death of Benard Taurai Genti through gross negligence and unlawful conduct while operating a commuter omnibus. The court ruled that his actions directly led to the fatal incident.

According to court proceedings, the accident occurred in February along Simon Mazorodze Road. Muteweye was driving a Toyota Hiace towards the Waterfalls suburb at the time of the incident.

It was heard in court that the now-deceased passenger, Benard Taurai Genti, was hanging onto the back of the moving vehicle. This practice, commonly referred to as “staffing,” is considered both dangerous and illegal.

The court further heard that Genti was allegedly allowed to hang onto the vehicle with the driver’s consent. This detail formed part of the evidence presented to show negligence on the part of the driver.

As the vehicle approached Chinzou Roundabout, Muteweye reportedly took a curve at excessive speed. The court was told that he lost control of the vehicle due to the speed at which he was driving.

The sudden movement of the vehicle caused Genti to be thrown off onto the road. He sustained severe injuries as a result of the fall.

Emergency services rushed the injured passenger to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital for treatment. Despite receiving medical attention, Genti died five days after the accident due to the injuries he sustained.

Following the incident, Muteweye was arrested and taken through court proceedings. He was later convicted of culpable homicide after the court found sufficient evidence of negligence.

As part of the sentence, the court ordered Muteweye to serve two years in prison. In addition to the custodial sentence, his driver’s licence was cancelled.