adminTendai Gukutikwa
A police officer who negligently drove a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s licence and caused an accident in the city centre has been found guilty and sentenced to 60 days imprisonment.
Vengai Paipo (28), who resides in Dangamvura, will instead pay a fine of $170 or risk going to prison for 60 days.
He was initially slapped with 20 days imprisonment for driving without a licence and a further 40 days for reckless driving shown by his failing to obey a stop sign thereby causing an accident at the intersection of D Avenue and Second Street. Presiding over the matter was Mutare magistrate Langton Mukwengi and Mr Cuthbert Bhosha prosecuted.
The court through Mr Bhosha heard it that on 13 January Paipo was driving a Toyota Camry. He ignored road regulations and did not stop where he was meant to stop and give oncoming vehicles the right of way.
“Rather he sped past the sign, an action which caused an accident at the spot, damaging the Toyota Camry and an Isuzu KB which was being driven by one Gibson Mayara.”
No one was injured. Asked if he had a reason for driving the vehicle without being holder of a driver’s licence, Paipo told the court that his child had been ill and he had to take her to the hospital as the ambulance was delaying.
“I did not stop at the stop sign because I had not seen any other motor vehicles approaching.”
Mr Mukwengi, however, warned him against driving without a licence and ignoring road signs, saying that the signs were there to protect both the drivers and pedestrians.
He was further banned from driving all classes of motor vehicles for a whole year.
Online Reporter