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Crime Reporter
Police have denied causing two accidents in Harare involving commuter omnibuses in which two people died. This comes after media reports that two people died and several others were injured when the kombi drivers crashed as they fled the police last week. One accident occurred along Greendale Avenue with survivors saying the driver of the commuter omnibus was being chased by a policeman on a motorbike, and the other along Simon Mazorodze Road when another kombi driver tried to evade a traffic officer.
Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba yesterday said the force was concerned with people who whip up emotions among the public with the intention of turning the same public against the police.
“In the event that police chase commuter omnibus drivers who fail to obey a lawful order to stop, police have a constitutional mandate to execute their duty.
“In any case, if they are chasing a car with criminals on board, it is a ZRP constitutional mandate to do so,” she said.
She said the accident along Greendale Avenue involved two vehicles, a Toyota Fortuner (ADD 8899) and a Toyota Hiace (ACS 0764) which were heading the same direction.
Snr Asst Comm Charamba said the kombi driver tried to overtake the Toyota Fortuner but failed to control it and hit a stone resulting with a front right tyre bursting. “The kombi then hit the Toyota Fortuner on the front right side and overturned, landing on its roof. One passenger died on the spot and six others were injured,” she said.
Snr Asst Comm Charamba said the other accident along Simon Mazorodze Road occurred after a Nissan Caravan (ACZ 6408) burst its rear right tyre and overturned.
“The speeding commuter omnibus was carrying 20 passengers instead of the stipulated 15 passengers. One person died on the spot while 19 others were injured,” she said.
Online Reporter