Bulawayo cop fined for crashing into Judge’s vehicle

Faith Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter

A BULAWAYO police officer who recklessly drove through a red robot, resulting in his vehicle colliding with another belonging to High Court judge, Justice Mpokiseng Dube, has been ordered to pay a fine of US$400.

Collen Ndlovu (33), whose rank was not given in court, appeared before Western Commonage magistrate, Mr Douglas Chikwekwe for Contravening Section 53(1) of the Road Traffic Act Chapter 13;11.

According to the prosecutor, Mr Milton Moyo, the incident occurred on 22 June at around 3.20pm.

“The accused person was driving a Honda Fit vehicle along Luveve Road due west direction using the outer lane with three passengers on board. Upon reaching a robot-controlled intersection on Luveve Road and Mpopoma Drive, the robots were working and there were vehicles stationary in the inner and outer lanes in front of the accused since the robot was red.

“The accused person overtook the stationary vehicles using the yellow lane, proceeded against a red robot and collided with another vehicle, a Land Rover Discovery Government vehicle under the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs that was travelling along Mpopoma Drive due south,” said the prosecutor.

Due to the impact, one passenger who was in Ndlovu’s vehicle sustained serious injuries and was taken to Mpilo Central Hospital for treatment. Other passengers sustained minor body pains.

“The accused person’s vehicles suffered frontal damages and were escorted to Bulawayo Vehicle Inspection Department for inspection, second party vehicle suffered damaged left side passenger doors.

“Witness statements from passengers who were in the accused vehicle indicated that the accused proceeded against a red robot. The accused person and the witnesses are not related,” said the prosecutor.

Medical reports and VID reports were produced in court as exhibits. According to the court, Ndlovu was found guilty of proceeding against a red robot and failing to stop or act reasonably when an accident or collision seemed imminent.