Sikhala’s Wife Fined $30 000 For Driving Against Oncoming Traffic
Jailed Zengeza West MP Job Sikhala’s wife Ellen has been convicted of a charge of violating road rules by Harare magistrate Evelyn Mashavakure.
Ellen was convicted after a full trial, during which she denied the allegations.
Mashavakure ordered Ellen to pay ZWL$30 000 fine or face a two months jail term.
Ellen was also barred from driving for six months and to surrender her license to the court clerk within seven days.
During the trial, Ellen denied the allegations and argued she was targeted for being Sikhala’s wife.
She also argued that she was arrested after failing to pay the police a bribe.
A state witness Kelvin Magadza, a traffic officer who was controlling traffic on the day, testified against her.
Magadza said that he spotted Ellen committing the offence at a distance of about 30 metres from where he was. He said:
She was driving her car coming from Chitungwiza she arrived at ABC auctions and saw that the lane was congested so she decided to encroach the oncoming lane in order to escape traffic.
As she was driving in this oncoming lane she proceeded to try and go back to the right lane at the “robots” that’s when I arrested her.
Ellen was arrested on 20 September at traffic lights along Seke Road on her way to visit her husband at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.
