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Oswell Moyo Chronicle Reporter—
A BULAWAYO policeman died in hospital yesterday from head and chest injuries he sustained after a pirate taxi driver fleeing arrest dragged him with the door of his vehicle for about 100 metres before slamming him head-first onto the road. Sergeant Godsave Chingwe died at Mater Dei Hospital at around 3PM. The driver of the Toyota Corolla, who is still at large, was allegedly picking passengers at an undesignated point at the intersection of George Silundika Street and 12th Avenue on Tuesday.
Sgt Chingwe, who was in plain clothes, tried to board the vehicle and arrest the driver.
The pirate taxi operator then sped off when Sgt Chingwe had one foot in the car, forcing him to cling to the door.
Police Officer Commanding Traffic in Bulawayo Superintendent Maxwell Chikunguru confirmed Sgt Chingwe’s death yesterday evening.
“We’ve just received information that Sgt Chingwe has passed away. We’re saddened by the untimely loss of a hardworking officer,” said Supt Chikunguru.
“The driver has not yet been arrested but we’re working tirelessly to bring him to book.”
A witness, John Maphosa, said the police officer was trying to take ignition keys from the vehicle when the driver took off.
“The driver was busy loading people and when he noticed Chingwe, he took off at high speed. Chingwe hung on to the door.
“The driver took a sharp turn into Fife Street and Chingwe flew off the door, and fell headlong onto the tarred road,” said Maphosa.
An airtime recharge card vendor who operates from the illegal pick-up point told Chronicle that it was the first time the driver had used the point.
She said she thought the driver dragged the officer with the intention of causing bodily harm to him.
“It was my first time to see that driver. I know all the pirate taxi drivers who ply the Hillside route. He intended to kill the officer,” said the vendor.
Chronicle arrived at the scene yesterday at around 12 noon, hours before Sgt Chingwe’s death, and witnessed pirate taxi drivers celebrating that “the no-nonsense-man” was injured.
Bulawayo Public Transporters Association (Bupta) secretary general Albert Ncube expressed shock at Sgt Chingwe’s death.
“We’re very sorry about the loss of a dedicated man who worked tirelessly to maintain order in the transport sector.
“We’ve been robbed as kombi operators. We kindly appeal to government to weed out these pirate taxi operators.
“They’re very violent in nature and have no respect for human life,” said Ncube.
On Monday, a police officer was injured along Luveve road after an unlicensed commuter omnibus driver sped from a roadblock dragging the officer along after his arm got trapped inside the vehicle.
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