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Cde Chinotimba

Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter—

AN unlicensed 18-year-old commuter omnibus driver has pleaded guilty to killing a pedestrian and disappearing from the scene.

Terrence Chikwanha, who went into hiding after killing Eunice Kabvura, was arrested after Buhera South legislator Cde Joseph Chinotimba offered $300 to anyone with information on his whereabouts.

Kabvura worked for Cde Chinotimba’s security company for years.

Chikwanha appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Rumbidzai Mugwagwa, facing culpable homicide charges, driving without a licence, failure to stop after an accident and failure to report the accident to the police.

He pleaded guilty and was remanded in custody to today for sentencing. The prosecutor Mrs Devoted Nyagano urged the court to remand Chikwanha in custody pending sentence.

“Accused is facing a serious offence where life was lost. He pleaded guilty not out of contrition but because he is aware of the overwhelming evidence against him,” she said.

“He was not supposed to be driving a public vehicle in the first place since his age does not permit him. Statistics have it that these cases of unlicensed drivers driving public vehicles are on the rise and lives are being risked in the process,” she said.

Mrs Nyagano said the court must punish Chikwanha.

“The courts must not cast a blind eye on such reckless behaviour. The accused deserves to be remanded in custody so that a clear message is sent to would-be offenders.”

On December 10, Chikwanha was driving a commuter omnibus along Charter Road due West.

He hit Kabvura at the Simon Mazorodze flyover.

Chikwanha, who was carrying passengers, stopped his vehicle.

He and a passenger then checked if Kabvura was alive.

When he realised Kabvura had died, Chikwanha rushed back to his vehicle and sped off.