A 37-year-old man from Mpopoma suburb has appeared in court facing charges of culpable homicide and driving a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s licence after he fatally knocked down two pedestrians along Nketa Drive.
The accused, Witness Moyo, appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Progress Murandu and was remanded out of custody to December 14, 2023.
Moyo, a mechanic by profession, is facing one count of culpable homicide and one count of driving without a valid driver’s licence.
According to the state prosecutor, Tafara Dzimbanhete, on November 4, 2023, Moyo, who was driving without a valid license, hit two pedestrians who were crossing the road while driving an AVM DAF bus.
“On November 4, 2023, around 6:20 pm, along Nketa Drive opposite Total Business Centre, Mpopoma, Bulawayo, Moyo was driving a vehicle namely an AVM DAF bus registration Number ABQ 3328 along Nketa Drive due North using the inner lane. As he approached Total Business Centre, he hit two pedestrians namely Otis Ncube and Shanice Mathe, who were crossing Nketa Drive due west with the front bumper of the vehicle. Due to the impact, the two pedestrians died on the spot,” Dzimbanhete said.
He added that the vehicle sustained minor dents on the front due to the impact and was towed to Bulawayo Traffic West Police Station awaiting VED inspection.
The bodies of the two deceased persons suffered multiple injuries and were conveyed to Bulawayo United Hospital Mortuary awaiting post-mortem.
Dzimbanhete further stated that Moyo was negligent in several ways that led to the loss of life.
“The state will allege that the accused was negligent in one or more of the following particulars: failure to keep a proper lookout, failure to react or act reasonably when an accident or collision seemed imminent, and traveling at an excessive speed in the circumstances,” Dzimbanhete said.
