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Crime Reporter

POLICE have expressed concern over fatal road accidents occurring at night during the national lockdown period following the death of nine people in separate accidents over the weekend.

The nine died in Marondera and Chegutu.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said it was worrying that some errant kombi and pirate taxi drivers were ferrying passengers at night to evade security checkpoints.

He said on Saturday at the 98km peg along the Harare-Bulawayo Road, five people, including the driver, died when a Toyota Wish they were travelling in rammed into the back of a haulage truck around 7pm.

“The truck was heading towards Harare while the Toyota Wish was following behind. We suspect that the driver of the Toyota Wish was speeding, resulting with the vehicle ramming into the back of the truck. The bodies were taken to Kadoma General Hospital mortuary,” he said.

He said three people, including a two-year-old baby, had since been identified while the other two were yet to be identified. The deceased are the driver, Shepherd Ranga (age not given), Pinky Dhlamini (26) and the infant Antiswa Sibanda, all of Harare.

On Sunday, four people died and 13 others were injured when a Harare-bound kombi collided head-on with a lorry near Waddilove Mission School in Marondera.

Asst Comm Nyathi said the bodies of the deceased were taken to Marondera Provincial Hospital mortuary, while the injured were being treated at the same health centre.

Of the 13 injured, six were said to be in critical condition.

Asst Comm Nyathi urged transport operators to comply with Covid-19 lockdown regulations as the kombi was not contracted to Zupco.