adminThandeka Moyo Court Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council was yesterday taken to court charged with culpable homicide after a 16-year-old boy drowned in one of its quarry sites. Engineer Simela Dube, the council’s director of Engineering Services appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Chrispen Mberewere on behalf of the local authority.
Engineer Dube requested an exception saying council was not liable as the now deceased had chosen to swim in an unauthorised area.
The local authority is accused of negligence and failing to secure Entumbane Gravel Pits.
“The gravel pit was created 30 years ago when council was extracting gravel for roads construction. The now deceased walked for more than 5km from his home in Thorngrove and decided to swim in the pit knowing that it was prohibited,” said Dube in his exception application.
Magistrate Mberewere deferred the case to April 10.
Prosecuting, Jerry Mutsindikwa said on January 21, 2013 council left the gravel pit open while full of water causing the death of Nqobizitha Ncube.
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