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Chief Supt Nyathi

Crime Reporter

Police have named nine of the 10 people who were killed in a road traffic accident at the 369km peg along the Harare-Bulawayo Road in Shangani last Friday. National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi yesterday said the nine had been identified by their next of kin. The nine are Mncendisi Moyo (30), Lunga Allen (25), Bongani Ndlovu (25), Sitheni Ndlovu (23), Phanuel Chikandiwa Chidyiwa (64), Preggy Chibwe (57), Sunboy Nkomo (39), Nyasha Magasa (27) and Abigail Gwezere (35).

“Police are appealing to those who are missing a relative to proceed to Gweru General Hospital and identify the remaining unidentified body of a female adult of approximately 30 years of age,” Chief Supt Nyathi said.

He urged members of the public to carry their identify cards or passports when travelling for easy identification in case of accidents.

The 10 died near Chalet Business Centre in Shangani last Friday at around 4pm when a Toyota Grande Hiace was travelling towards Gweru with 13 passengers on board.

On approaching the 369km peg, the vehicle burst its right rear tyre, veered off the road before overturning and landingon its right side.

Police said eight people including the driver died on the spot while another died on the way to the hospital.

The other passenger died on admission at United Bulawayo Hospitals while three others were seriously injured and are still admitted at the hospital.

Meanwhile, a kombi driver who was recently arrested after being accused of deliberately hitting and killing a police officer in a desperate effort to evade a roadblock in Harare, has been granted $100 bail by the High Court.

Early this month, Gift Musona (23) of 2020 Overspill, Epworth, and his conductor, Tinashe Kachidza (19) of 1070 Overspill, Epworth, appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court jointly charged with murder.

Harare magistrate Mrs Vongai Guwuriro advised the pair to apply for bail at the High Court because they were facing a Third Schedule offence.

Through his lawyer, Mr Godfrey Mapaya of Mapaya and Partners, Musona successfully applied for bail at the High Court yesterday.

Justice Happias Zhou granted Musona $100 bail and ordered him to report once a week on Fridays at Dombo Police Station between 6am and 6pm until the matter was finalised as part of his bail conditions.

He was also ordered not to interfere with investigations or State witnesses.

It is alleged that on August 18 this year at around 6am, Sergeant Joshua Hwara was manning a police roadblock along Robert Mugabe Road near the Vehicle Inspection Department in the company of Constables Gundhla and Gwaze.

It was alleged that as Musona approached the roadblock, he connived with Kachidza to avoid the police by diverting into McChlery Avenue in Eastlea.

Hwara allegedly flagged Musona’s motor vehicle to stop but the accused allegedly accelerated towards Hwara, overran him and drove away.

It is alleged that in a bid to cover up the offence, Musona and Kachidza then went on to surrender the vehicle to its owner immediately after the ac- cident.

The owner (unidentified) noticed a dent on the front of the vehicle, but the two failed to proffer a satisfactory explanation.Hwara had sustained serious head injuries, bruises on his body and bled heavily from the nose.

He was rushed to Parirenyatwa Hospital where he died on admission.