Police Officers Charged With Culpable Homicide After Kombi Kills Pedestrian
Two police officers have been charged with culpable homicide for their part in the death of a pedestrian along Highglen Road in Harare on Friday morning.
The two cops, Constable J Mapfumo (36) and Constable Demetrius Chimutanda (33) were reportedly battling for their lives at Sally Mugabe Hospital yesterday, after sustaining serious injuries from a mob attack.
The police officers were attacked by the mob for causing the death of a pedestrian identified as Trymore Chinyamakobvu (54).
Chinyamakobvu was run over by a commuter omnibus while the police officers wrestled the driver, with the vehicle still in motion.
The kombi driver was driving a yellow Toyota Hiace vehicle belonging to Jonah Mafirakureva.
He was confronted by the police officers for picking and dropping passengers at an undesignated point at the intersection of Highglen Road and Main Street, Highfield, Harare (Mapuranga). A police memo says:
The kombi driver resisted arrest and wrestled with the police officers whilst the vehicle was in motion.
During the scuffle, the vehicle veered off the road and hit Trymore Chinyamakobvu who was walking by the roadside near the intersection of Highglen and Mushayabhande Roads.
The vehicle went on to ram onto a pre-cast wall at Goodness and Mercy Ministries.
Chinyamakobvu sustained head injuries and died on the spot while the informant Robert Munetsi who was a passenger in the kombi sustained injuries on the chest and left leg.
This prompted the mob to severely assault the two police officers.
A report was made at ZRP Machipisa. Scene was attended by ZRP Machipisa, ZRP Southerton Traffic and Harare South District Reaction Group.
The body was conveyed to Sally Mugabe Hospital Mortuary awaiting post-mortem. Next of kin is yet to be advised.
The two police officers sustained multiple injuries and were referred to Sally Mugabe Hospital for treatment under guard.
Munetsi was also referred to Sally Mugabe Hospital for treatment and was said to be in stable condition. Reads the memo:
Outstanding is to arrest driver of the kombi and jointly charge him with the two police officers for Contravening section 49 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 09:23 as read with section 64 of the Road Traffic Act Chapter 13:11, “Culpable Homicide”.
