TRUCK DRIVER SHOCKED AS BODY OF A MAN DROPS FROM QUARRY STONES CONSIGNMENT HE WAS DELIVERING TO A CLIENT

Arron Nyamayaro

A TRUCK driver was shocked on Monday to see the body of a man dropping off a consignment of quarry stones he was delivering to a client.

Kumbirai Chikwama, 38, of Muzavazi Village, under Chief Chinamhora, said he could not believe his eyes when the body of Showman Rusava, of Mungate Village, was found among the quarry stones.

Chikwama had offered Rusava transport earlier that day.Rusava was 34.

Chikwama is self-employed and owns an eight-tonne tipper truck.

He offers the vehicle for hire to transport building materials, including quarry stones, pit sand and river sand to customers in Domboshava and parts of Borrowdale in Harare. Mashonaland East Provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Simon Chazovachii, confirmed that police are investigating the matter.

“Police are investigating a culpable homicide case in Domboshava,” said Insp Chazovachii.

“At the Consortium turn-off, along the Harare-Domboshava Road, the now deceased, who was visibly drunk, waved and stopped the truck.

“He asked for a lift to Domboshava.”

He said Chikwama agreed to give Rusava a lift and told him to jump into the vehicle’s empty loading box because other passengers were seated in the front.

At around 1300 hours, Chikwama arrived at Zimbiru Business Centre where he parked the vehicle at his usual spot while waiting for another hire.

It is reported that the driver left the vehicle to run personal errands, assuming the deceased had disembarked.

“At around 1350 hours, the driver was hired over the phone by a local client, who wanted nine cubic metres of crusher-run quarry stones,” said Insp Chazovachii.

He said Chikwama went to a local company where he paid for the stones, and the company’s front loader operator loaded the truck in three stages to total nine cubic metres.

The driver then transported the load to the client.

“During offloading, as the tipper was about to finish, the client noticed a body being uncovered by the quarry stones and called the driver to investigate.”

Chikwama later identified the body as that of the same man he had offered a lift to earlier in the day.

The body was taken to Makumbe Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem examination.