admin Plumtree Correspondent
A NINE-YEAR-OLD old boy from Mangwe District died on the spot after a scotch cart he was riding in overturned and crushed his head.
Chief Hobodo confirmed the incident which killed, Themba Moyo, a Grade 4 pupil at a school in Hobodo Ward on Monday afternoon.
He said the boy who lived with his grandparents left in a donkey drawn scotch cart for the shops without alerting his guardians.
Chief Hobodo said while he was on his way back home, one of the scotch cart wheels hit a tree stump and the scotch cart overturned.
“On his way back the boy is suspected to have been travelling at a high speed. The left wheel of the scotch cart hit a tree stump which was by the roadside. The scotch cart overturned and hit the boy on the head,” he said.
Chief Hobodo said villagers who attended the scene found the boy already dead.
In another incident, a 20-year-old Bulilima man was convicted on his own plea of guilty to culpable homicide for causing the death of his six-year-old brother who died in a scotch cart mishap.
Siphamandla Ndovu (20) of Bembenene Village in Gambo area was driving the scotch cart which had three passengers on board. The two other passengers escaped unharmed while Asande Dube died after sustaining head injuries. Ndlovu was convicted by Plumtree magistrate, Mr Livard Philemon.
He was sentenced to nine months imprisonment and three months were suspended for five years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within that period.
The remaining six months were suspended on condition that he performs 210 hours of community service at Manguba Primary School.
Prosecuting, Mrs Rose Sibanda said the incident occurred on July 13 at around 3PM.
“Ndlovu was driving a donkey drawn scotch cart with three passengers onboard. Upon reaching the two kilometre peg along Manzamnyama River Road the donkeys started running and since there was no one leading them they went off the road,’’ she said.
Mrs Sibanda said the scotch cart hit a stump and it overturned and in the process threw off the driver and the three passengers.
She said the scotch cart hit Asande on the head resulting in his death. – @DubeMatutu
Bongani Ndlovu