HARARE – The Zebra Kiss bus company driver, filmed earlier this year racing a Rimbi Tours bus, leading to a road crash that killed a conductor who was on the competitor’s bus, has been jailed two years for culpable homicide.
Mike Makwara, 49, was jailed after a full trial during which he denied the charges.
A magistrate sitting at Mutoko Court found Makwara guilty of culpable homicide and sentenced him to two years without an option of a fine.
Makwara caused the accident while racing with a Rimbi Tours bus crew in January this year.
The two bus crews were competing for passengers.
Makwara was found guilty for blocking the Rimbi Tours bus from overtaking, leading to the competitor’s bus ramming against a truck that was travelling in the same direction.
The accident, which occurred along the Mutoko-Nyamapanda road, also left over 20 passengers injured.
The incident, captured on a viral phone video by a passenger, caused public uproar which forced Transport Minister Felix Mhona to suspend the two transporters’ operating licences pending compliance with some set safety requirements.
The two companies remorsefully took care of the injured passengers’ hospital bills and also apologised for their crews’ reckless behaviour leading to their operating licences being restored.
