Mvuma horror crash driver locked up

THE driver of a South Africa-registered haulage truck, which last week sideswiped a Johannesburg-bound Proliner bus, killing 20 people on the spot and leaving 40 others injured near Mvuma along the Harare-Masvingo Highway, appeared in court last week and was remanded in custody to April 20.

Regis Mungwari, who is facing 20 counts of culpable homicide, was last Friday denied bail and remanded in custody when he briefly appeared at the Mvuma Magistrates' Court.

In denying him bail, the court noted that Mungwari was a flight risk, as he was of no fixed abode in Zimbabwe and could commit suicide because of the gravity of the case.

According to the State, preliminary investigations at the accident scene indicated that Mungwari lost control of his tyre-laden truck on approaching the 218km peg, and encroached the path of the oncoming bus.

The vehicles sideswiped and both burst into flames because of the impact.

By yesterday, the shells of the two vehicles were still at the accident scene six days on.

Transport ministry secretary, Munesushe Munodawafa said delays in clearing the debris could have been necessitated by the need for forensic experts to get samples for DNA tests to identify the deceased.

"I am not so sure about that, but usually after an accident of that nature, we want things to remain like that for forensic samples. Let me check to see how far my guys have gone in getting the samples," he explained.

"I am sure that is the reason why the wreckage is yet to be cleared. Let me check and I will come back to you."