Zimra officers, police officer killed in crash

TWO Zimbabwe Revenue Authority employees and a police officer, were on Friday night killed while 15 others were injured when the cars they were travelling in were involved in an accident near a tollgate along the Beitbridge-Masvingo road.

The incident occurred at around 9.30pm at the 262km peg, a few kilometres from Lutumba tollgate. The Zimra officers were scheduled to start their 10pm shift at the same tollgate.

Matabeleland South police spokesman, Inspector Philisani Ndebele yesterday said that the deceased had been taken to Beitbridge district hospital mortuary.

He identified the deceased as; Eunice Lunga (28), Collen Moyo (45) all employed by Zimra as cashiers, Winterton Zungura (36) and Norman Marashe whose age is not known but was employed as a police officer.

Inspector Ndebele said preliminary investigations revealed that the late Zimra employees and the police officer were travelling in a Mazda BT50 belonging to Zimra, heading towards the Lutumba toll gate.

Timothy Murungweni was driving the vehicle.

He said upon approaching the 262 km peg, the car side swiped with a Nissan Caravan, which was travelling in the opposite direction, resulting in Murungweni losing control of the vehicle. It then rammed into an oncoming Toyota Iveco and the two vehicles overturned killing three people on the spot.

"The fourth victim, a police officer (Marashe), died upon admission to Beitbridge District Hospital while the bodies of the deceased were taken to the hospital mortuary. The injured were also admitted to the same hospital. We suspect the accident could have been a result of speeding by the drivers though investigations are still in progress," he said.

Inspector Ndebele said the police were urging motorists no to speed especially during the night. He said the vehicles' wreckage had been taken to the Vehicle Inspection Depot in Beitbridge.