Taxi driver cop killer in court

Thandeka Moyo Court Reporter
THE pirate taxi driver who allegedly killed a policeman while fleeing arrest after he dragged him with the door of his vehicle for about 100 metres appeared in court on Monday facing a murder charge.
Farai Zimunya, who fled the scene of the accident afterwards, was allegedly picking up passengers at an undesignated area at the intersection of George Silundika and 12th Avenue when he was approached by Sergeant Godsave Chingwe who tried to board the vehicle and arrest him.

Bulawayo provincial magistrate Sibongile Msipa remanded him in custody to October 27 and advised him to apply for bail at the High Court.

Zimunya said: “Your worship, I need this court to understand that what happened was not intentional. I didn’t mean to cause any harm, honestly”.

The state led by Dennmore Kasenza alleges that on October 7 at about 5.20PM Chingwe was on duty in police uniform doing traffic enforcement assignments.

While at the intersection of George Silundika and 12th Avenue, he saw a white Toyota Corona driven by Zimunya. He then stopped the police vehicle he was driving, and proceeded to the parked car which had about three passengers on board.

Chingwe informed Zimunya that he was under arrest for carrying passengers using a non-public motor vehicle and that he should drive his car to Bulawayo Central Traffic. He opened the front passenger door and stretched his hand to reach for the car keys.

Zimunya suddenly drove off and Chingwe was forced to cling to the door. He drove the car, allegedly swerving left and right in a bid to throw off Chingwe. He bumped into a parked Honda Fit that was beside the road at the intersection of Fife Street and 12th Avenue.

Chingwe was then thrown off Zimunya’s car as a result of the impact and his body slid underneath a parked vehicle. Zimunya abandoned his car and fled on foot leaving Chingwe lying on the tarmac, injured. Chingwe was then rushed to Mater Dei Hospital for treatment. He died the following day at Galen House where he had been referred for a scan.

On October 9, a full post-mortem on the body was conducted by a local doctor who concluded that Chingwe died due to cardiac failure, ruptured small bowel and haemorrhage.