Zimpapers Logo

Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
A commuter omnibus driver, who hit a police officer at a roadblock and dragged him with his vehicle for 25 metres resulting in his death, was yesterday sentenced to effective three years in jail.

The incident happened in 2014. Talent Mudzimba (32) was arrested in 2014 and was initially charged with murder.

During trial at the High Court, the charge was reduced to culpable homicide. The matter was then referred to a lower court for trial.

Mudzimba appeared before magistrate Ms Nomusa Sabarauta.

He was convicted after a full trial.

Mrs Sabarauta sentenced him to five years in prison before setting aside two years on condition of good behaviour.

In addition, he was prohibited from driving all motor vehicles in respect of Class 1 and his licence was cancelled.

In passing sentence, Ms Sabarauta said: “On the day in question, the accused was flagged to stop by a police official, but for reasons best known to him, he decided to flee from the scene. This is an act of a person who shows that he has no regard for the law enforcement agency as this was a routine spot check that was being done to all motorists and not just the accused.

“The conduct of the accused can best be described as reckless as he did not care what would occur to the next person. Community service would greatly trivialise the offence as well as payment of a fine. Thus a custodial sentence is deemed proper and accused’s licence is to be cancelled.”

In aggravation, the prosecutor Ms Yeukai Musengi urged the court to send Mudzimba to jail for a lengthy period.

She said a message should be sent to would-be offenders.

On December 23 2014, Mudzimba was driving a Toyota Hiace registration number ACZ 6420 along Alps Road near Pomona Stone Quarry.

Mudzimba, who was carrying 17 passengers, was travelling due south and was signalled to stop at a roadblock by a police officer in uniform.

Mudzimba did not stop and proceeded to hit another police officer who was attending to another vehicle.

The police officer was dragged for 25 metres before being thrown to the side of the road. He died on the spot.

Mudzimba tried to speed off the scene but was blocked by other motorists.