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Harare Bureau
Musician Kudzai Andrew Ngwenya, popularly known as Andy Muridzo, on Friday appeared in court on charges of driving without a licence and contravening the Road Traffic Act.
Ngwenya rammed into three vehicles and sped off against traffic along Sam Nujoma Street in Harare.
The accident occurred on February 25 after Ngwenya reportedly shot through a red traffic light.
The musician’s initial court appearance was not without drama as he was forced to change his earlier plea of guilty to driving without a licence to not guilty after getting a taste of jail when he was remanded in custody pending his bail application.
When he appeared before magistrate Barbara Mateko in the morning, Ngwenya pleaded guilty to driving without a licence and denied driving recklessly.
Prosecutor Farirai Nyamutowa then opposed bail on the basis that since Ngwenya had pleaded guilty to the first count, the presumption of innocence would automatically fall away.
Ngwenya was taken back to the court holding cells with instructions to appear before the same magistrate for bail application in the afternoon.
When the court session resumed in the afternoon, Ngwenya altered his plea to not guilty, arguing that he was now a holder of a valid driver’s licence, which he acquired after the accident.
He told the court that when the accident occurred, he had a provisional driver’s licence.
Mateko remanded him to April 5 for trial commencement on $50 bail.
It is the State’s case that on February 25, around 6pm, Ngwenya was driving a Mercedes Benz along Sam Nujoma Street due south.
Ngwenya, who was in the turning lane, proceeded straight against a red traffic light, the State alleged.
His car collided with Innocent Chadyiwa’s Mercedes Benz, who was driving along Josiah Tongogara Avenue.
Ngwenya’s vehicle, the court heard, veered off the road and rammed into Debra Muhonde’s Nissan Bluebird Sulphy, which had been stopped by traffic lights.
Due to the impact, Muhonde’s vehicle rammed into Kenneth Dzviti’s Totoya Runx which was behind it.
It is the State’s case that after the accident, Ngwenya sped off the scene while driving against traffic along Sam Nujoma Street.
All vehicles involved in the accident were damaged.
According to the court, Ngwenya failed to stop after an accident.
He also failed to report the accident within 24 hours, failed to ascertain if any person was injured or killed after the accident and failed to render assistance after the accident, as required by the law.
Online Reporter