News / National
Zesa southern region boss up for culpable homicide
17 Dec 2021 at 18:42hrs | Views
ZESA Holdings southern region manager Lovemore Chinaka yesterday appeared in court facing culpable homicide charges.
The case arose after Chinaka allegedly ran over a six-year-old child on November 22 while driving along the Harare-Bulawayo Highway.
The accident occurred at Killarney turn-off just outside Bulawayo.
Chinaka, who was represented by lawyer Tanaka Muganyi, denied the charges when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Nomasiko Ndlovu.
Prosecutor Owen Mugari told the court that on the day in question around 1:25pm, Chinaka was driving a Toyota Fortuner when he hit the minor, Washington Ncube.
The minor, who was in the company of his friends, sustained serious head injuries and was taken to the United Bulawayo Hospitals, where he died on admission.
In his defence, Chinaka argued: "No reasonable person would have reacted under the circumstances as no accident was imminent because all three children were out of the road, one of them held both of their arms, only to suddenly run onto the road which was not foreseeable at that time.
"Any other reasonable person in the same circumstances as mine would have not foreseen the reasonable possibility of an accident or death under the circumstances."
Muganyi then filed for discharge at the close of the State case, which the prosecution opposed.
The State said it had proved beyond reasonable doubt that Chinaka was guilty of culpable homicide.
Ndlovu remanded the case to January 10 for continuation of trial. Chinaka is out on bail.
The case arose after Chinaka allegedly ran over a six-year-old child on November 22 while driving along the Harare-Bulawayo Highway.
The accident occurred at Killarney turn-off just outside Bulawayo.
Chinaka, who was represented by lawyer Tanaka Muganyi, denied the charges when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Nomasiko Ndlovu.
Prosecutor Owen Mugari told the court that on the day in question around 1:25pm, Chinaka was driving a Toyota Fortuner when he hit the minor, Washington Ncube.
The minor, who was in the company of his friends, sustained serious head injuries and was taken to the United Bulawayo Hospitals, where he died on admission.
In his defence, Chinaka argued: "No reasonable person would have reacted under the circumstances as no accident was imminent because all three children were out of the road, one of them held both of their arms, only to suddenly run onto the road which was not foreseeable at that time.
"Any other reasonable person in the same circumstances as mine would have not foreseen the reasonable possibility of an accident or death under the circumstances."
Muganyi then filed for discharge at the close of the State case, which the prosecution opposed.
The State said it had proved beyond reasonable doubt that Chinaka was guilty of culpable homicide.
Ndlovu remanded the case to January 10 for continuation of trial. Chinaka is out on bail.
Source - NewsDay Zimbabwe
