Rimbi Tours Bus Driver Jailed For 2.5 Years Over Harare-Nyamapanda Accident
The driver of Rimbi Travel Tours bus, Misheck Penyai, has been jailed for effective 2 and a half years for reckless driving, following an accident along the Harare-Nyamapanda highway in January, ZBC News reported.
Initially, he was sentenced to three years, but six months were suspended on the condition that he does not commit a similar offence in the next five years. Furthermore, he was prohibited from driving public service vehicles, and his driver’s licence was cancelled.
His conviction and sentence this Tuesday come a day after Zebra Kiss driver, Mika Makwara was sentenced to two years by the same court for culpable and reckless driving. On top of the two-year jail term, Makwara was suspended from driving commuter omnibuses or heavy vehicles for life and his driver’s licence was cancelled.
Penyai and Makwara were arrested early this year following an accident that claimed the life of a Rimbi Travel and Tours bus conductor.
The state told the court that earlier this year, Makwara was driving a bus belonging to Zebra Kiss on Nyamapanda Highway while Penyai was driving another bus belonging to Rimbi Travel and Tours in the same direction. Penyai tried to overtake Makwara, but Makwara obstructed him by occupying the middle and right lanes, both trying to pick up passengers. This resulted in Penyai colliding with the rear end of a tipper truck travelling in the opposite direction towards Nyamapanda.
One person died in the accident while several others were injured. The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Felix Mhona, immediately suspended the licenses of Zebra Kiss and Rimbi Travel & Tours following the accident. The suspensions were later lifted on certain conditions.
