Online Reporter
Court Reporter
A HARARE commuter omnibus driver has been sentenced to an effective 24 months in prison after being convicted of reckless driving and endangering the lives of other road users.
Harmony Duri appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court, where he was found guilty following a contested trial.
He was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment, with six months suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour, leaving an effective 24 months behind bars. The court further ordered that Duri be prohibited from driving Class 2 vehicles for life.
The State case, led by the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe, was that in February this year, Duri, who was driving a commuter omnibus, acted in a reckless and dangerous manner at an intersection in Borrowdale near Sam Levy’s Village.
The court heard that the complainant, a Borrowdale resident, had stopped at a robot-controlled traffic light in the lane designated for proceeding straight when Duri pulled up in a right-turn lane.
Despite being cautioned not to cut in front of her, Duri allegedly ignored the warning and proceeded to jump the red light, unlawfully veering into the straight lane and forcing his way ahead.
The complainant later followed the omnibus to a nearby bus stop where she took a photograph of the vehicle before reporting the matter to Avondale Traffic, which is responsible for the Harare Suburban District.
Acting on the report, officers from the Zimbabwe Republic Police Avondale Traffic Section swiftly tracked down and arrested Duri on the same day. He was subsequently taken to Borrowdale Police Station.
During trial proceedings, the complainant gave evidence detailing the incident, while the State relied on her testimony and supporting evidence to build its case. Duri denied the charges, resulting in a protracted court process that saw multiple remands before the matter was finalised.
In passing sentence, the magistrate took into account the prevalence of dangerous driving by commuter omnibus operators and the need to protect the public.
“The accused person’s actions were not only unlawful but posed a serious risk to human life. A custodial sentence is warranted to deter like-minded offenders,” ruled the magistrate.
The case stresses a growing concern over reckless behaviour by some public transport operators, with authorities reiterating that offenders will face the full wrath of the law.
