Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka-Court Correspondent
THE truck driver responsible for the Seke Road accident which claimed 17 lives on July 22 last year, has been jailed for five years and had his driver’s licence revoked.
Desire Madiviko (56), an employee of Silimus Cold Chain Company in Chitungwiza, was convicted of culpable homicide after a full trial before regional magistrate Mrs Gloria Takundwa.
Initially, magistrate Takundwa sentenced Madiviko to seven years in prison, but suspended two years on condition of good behaviour.
In addition to the prison term, he was permanently banned from driving Class 2 vehicles and prohibited from driving any other classes of vehicles for two years.
His driver’s licence was also immediately cancelled.
Prosecutor Ms Pamela Dzinduwa successfully proved that Madiviko’s reckless actions caused the catastrophic crash.
The court heard that the accident occurred at around 10am on Seke Road, northbound towards Harare’s central business district.
Madiviko, a licenced driver for Classes 2, 4 and 5 vehicles, was driving a South African-registered Nissan UD Coroner truck (horse registration number KH28RW GP), towing a similarly registered box-body trailer (registration number KC05FB GP).
The vehicle, carrying one passenger, lost control shortly after passing the St Mary’s Junction.
The left wheels veered onto the dirt shoulder while the right wheels remained on the tarmac.
In an attempt to regain control, Madiviko swerved into the inner lane, but his manoeuvre backfired.
The truck swerved sharply to the right, mounted the road island, and struck two pedestrians walking along it. Both pedestrians were killed instantly.
The truck then crossed into the opposite lane, colliding head-on with an oncoming Nissan Caravan commuter omnibus (registration number, ACZ 6937, heading towards Chitungwiza and carrying 17 passengers.
