A member of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) has been charged with culpable homicide after his Nissan Primera vehicle veered off the road along the Harare-Mukumbura road and struck a group of six girls walking on the roadside.
Tragically, five of the girls lost their lives, while one remains in critical condition. All the girls were from the same extended family and lived at the Bindura Rural District Farm compound.
Police said the incident occurred on Saturday just after 4 PM at the 90-kilometre peg along Harare-Mukumbura Road.
In a memo addressed to the Officer Commanding Bindura Police District, Bindura traffic police confirmed on Sunday that the sixth pedestrian suffered injuries in the accident, as did a passenger in the vehicle. Both were taken to the hospital for treatment.
The driver, identified as 51-year-old Washington Timburwa from the ZNA’s Two Brigade in Cranborne, Harare, was driving the private Nissan Primera with one passenger on board at the time of the incident. Reads the memo:
Upon approaching 90km peg on the said road, he failed to keep proper control of the vehicle and veered off to the left side of the road and swerved to the right side where he went on to hit 6 pedestrians who were walking along the said road due south.
The motor vehicle overturned several times and landed on its roof approximately 5 metres from the road.
Three pedestrians died on the spot, two died upon admission at Bindura Hospital.
One pedestrian is in critical condition and is admitted at Bindura Hospital.
One passenger from the first party’s vehicle sustained a cut on the head and her condition is stable. The first party (Timburwa) did not sustain any visible injuries.
The victims of the accident have been identified as Nokutenda Mabheka, 14, and Rachel Sinodia and Chipo Chikanda, both 13, who died at the scene of the accident.
Misiyose Benjamin, 14, and a girl named Makanaka, whose full details have not been provided, both succumbed to their injuries after being admitted to Bindura Hospital.
All the deceased suffered severe head injuries from the impact.
Another minor, identified as Manhenga, reportedly sustained a fractured right leg and serious head injuries and is currently hospitalised at Bindura Hospital.
The passenger in the vehicle was named as 22-year-old Nyasha Ngwerume from Shirikadzi Village, Chief Masembura, Bindura.
Police have attributed the accident to speeding. The vehicle sustained extensive damage and has been towed to Bindura VID for inspection.
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