Gweru kombi driver, conductor remanded in custody over Senga fire incident that killed 7 pupils

Patrick Chitumba
Midlands Bureau

THE driver and conductor of a Gweru commuter omnibus that caught fire and killed seven pupils in Senga suburb on Wednesday have been remanded in custody to June 23, 2026.

Malcolm Elvis Cook (22) and Trinity Mudhenge (18) appeared before Gweru Magistrate, Ms Deone Chiroyi, on Saturday facing culpable homicide charge each over the inferno that led to the death of the minors near Chirandu Business Centre in Senga.

Cook and Mudhenge who were represented by Advocate Omega Tuso Maputsenyika of Maputsenyika Legal Practice were not asked to plead. The state was opposed to bail.

The investigating officer, Nyarai Lindiwe Makaza, in her affidavit noted that investigations are still at the infancy stage as such need more time to be finished whilst the accused in custody. She said the accused persons’ release will disturb the public order or undermine public peace and security.

“The nature of the offence and circumstances surrounding it induced sense of shock in the community.

“All the above reasons taken together will cause the accused person to abscond and become fugitive to justice and it’s prudent to remand them in custody pending trial,” said Makaza.

The magistrate then remanded Cook and Mudhenge in custody. For the State, Mr Sibangani Dube told the court that allegations are that Mudhenge boarded the commuter omnibus with a jerry can holding about nine litres of petrol after the vehicle picked up pupils from several schools.

The fuel was allegedly placed behind the driver’s seat. The court heard that while the commuter omnibus was moving, fire broke out near the petrol and spread fast through the passenger compartment.

Seven children of the 24 that were in the commuter omnibus died. Mr Dube said the State is alleging that the deaths of the minors resulted from negligent transportation and storage of petrol in a passenger vehicle.

President Mnangagwa has since declared the accident a state of disaster. Families are still waiting for DNA results to identify their children, who were burnt beyond recognition.