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Mashudu Mambo, Sunday News Reporter
A 19-YEAR-OLD unlicensed driver from Bulawayo has been fined $500 after he was found guilty of culpable homicide after he knocked down an 84-year-old pedestrian who died from injuries sustained during the accident.
Mike Masotsha who was driving his father’s car hit the deceased Robert Mudzonga (84) in Bradfield in February.
Mudzonga was ferried to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) for treatment, but passed on the following day.
A medical report produced in court showed that the deceased suffered head injuries, a fractured right leg and left hand. Masotsha appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Franklin Mkhwananzi facing a charge of culpable homicide and driving without a valid driver’s licence. He pleaded not guilty to the two counts.
In sentencing Masotsha, the magistrate said: “The deceased crossed the road when it was not safe and his life was lost due to your negligence.”
Mr Mkhwananzi tried the two counts separately. Masotsha was fined $300 or 30 days in prison for culpable homicide.
For the second count of driving without a driver’s licence, he was sentenced to three months which were suspended for three years on condition that he does not repeat a similar offence and he was ordered to pay a fine of $200 or two months.
In his defence Masotsha said he was not speeding and tried to avoid hitting Mudzonga.
The court heard that Masotsha was driving the car with three passengers on board when the accident occurred.
Upon reaching Bradfield shops along Hillside road, Masotsha hit Mudzonga who was crossing the road due east.
Mudzonga sustained head injuries and was taken to UBH by an ambulance for treatment. The car was towed to the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID) for inspection. Mrs Gladys Zhou prosecuted.
derick.khumalo