Suspected cop killer in intensive care after another accident

Mr Charles Paul Moyo, of Moyo and Nyoni Legal Practitioners representing Heath Roy Jardine, told Bulawayo provincial magistrate Mrs Thobekile Mkhosana-Matibe that his client was involved in an accident in Colleen Bawn, Gwanda, on Saturday and is in the ICU at Mater Dei Hospital.

Jardine (35), of Number 3 Reudes Flo Road in Fortunes Gate, has pleaded not guilty to culpable homicide and driving under the influence of alcohol.

The court was left with no option but to put him off remand and the State led by Mr Carrington Dhliwayo would have to proceed by way of summons if he recovers.

He is out of custody on $500 bail and the court ordered him to reside at his given address until the finalisation of his matter.

The court also ordered him to surrender his passport to the Clerk of the Provincial Magistrates’ Courts.

Last month at his last appearance the court relaxed his reporting conditions.

The State case is that on 3 June, Jardine was driving a Land Rover Defender coming from the Fortunes Gate direction towards the city centre.

Three police officers including the late Sgt Ottilia Magwenya were manning a speed trap along 12th Avenue Extension opposite the United Bulawayo Hospitals.

When approaching the speed trap at about 2 pm, Jardine’s vehicle was allegedly caught doing 137 km per hour in a 70 km per hour zone.

The State will seek to prove that the late Sgt Magwenya, who was dressed in police uniform with reflective material, moved onto the road signalling Jardine to stop.

Instead of stopping his vehicle, the State alleges that he hit the late Sgt Magwenya who was by then trying to run away from the road. The police officer died on the spot.

After his arrest, Jardine was taken to the police station for breath tests and his reading was 232mg per 100ml of blood, the State will seek to prove.

The particulars of negligence that the State will seek to prove are that Jardine was travelling at excessive speed, failed to keep a proper lookout and failed to stop or act reasonably when an accident or collision seemed imminent.