Zimra official fined $500 for pedestrian death

Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A SENIOR Zimbabwe Revenue Authority official based in Plumtree has been fined $500 after he ran over and killed a pedestrian in the border town.

Ntelezi Dube, 51, who is employed as an assistant accountant at the Plumtree Border Post Zimra offices, was convicted of culpable homicide by local magistrate, Gideon Ruvetsa.

He was ordered to pay $500 or spend five months in prison.

Dube, who admitted that he was driving at a high speed, hit the pedestrian who was walking on the edge of the right lane while trying to overtake another vehicle.

“I do admit to the charges Your Worship. I was indeed driving at an excessive speed and my vision was blurred as it was dark outside. I was overtaking another vehicle which was in front of me and I realised late that there were pedestrians that were walking by the side of the road which explains how I hit one of them,” he said.

Dube failed to apply his brakes resulting in him hitting the pedestrian and dragging him for a distance of about 60 metres.

The pedestrian suffered a fractured skull.

Prosecuting, Stanley Chinyanganya said Dube who is a holder of a class 4 and 5 driver’s licence ran over 24-year-old Zwelani Dube on May 16 at around 8PM.