Unlicensed driver avoids jail after fatal accident

A controversial court ruling in Chinhoyi has triggered widespread public outrage after a 20-year-old unlicensed driver, who fatally struck a pedestrian and injured four others, was sentenced to perform community service instead of serving time in jail. The verdict has been slammed by the Passengers Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ), which described it as a "shocking miscarriage of justice."

The young man was found guilty of culpable homicide and negligent driving after ploughing into five pedestrians while operating an unroadworthy vehicle. One of the victims died upon admission at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital due to severe head injuries, while four others sustained varying degrees of injury. The driver fled the scene following the accident, and police later confirmed he had no valid driver's licence and had failed to maintain control of the vehicle.

Despite the severity of the incident, the Chinhoyi Magistrates' Court sentenced the offender to 24 months in prison but suspended six months for three years. The remaining 18 months were further suspended on the condition that he completes 360 hours of community service-a ruling that has left many questioning the value placed on human life within the justice system.

PAZ, in a strongly worded statement issued on Tuesday, expressed its deep concern over the leniency of the sentence. The organisation's national coordinator, Tafadzwa Goliati, said the judgment sends the wrong message about accountability for road traffic crimes.

"We are appalled by a justice system that seems to prioritize the perpetrator over the victims, effectively rendering the latter invisible and voiceless," Goliati said. "This ruling perpetuates the notion that the lives of ordinary citizens, particularly the vulnerable, are of little value."

Zimbabwe continues to battle a crisis in road safety, with the Zimbabwe Republic Police attributing the surge in traffic-related deaths to the increasing number of unlicensed drivers and unroadworthy vehicles. The Chinhoyi case has amplified concerns about the enforcement of traffic laws and the inconsistency of legal consequences for fatal negligence.

PAZ is now calling for an urgent appeal of the court's decision, as well as a broader review of how traffic offences involving death or injury are prosecuted in Zimbabwe. The association has also urged the Ministry of Justice and Parliament to act swiftly in addressing what it called "systemic failures" in the judiciary's approach to road traffic crimes.

"We demand a more just and equitable outcome that acknowledges the gravity of this tragic incident and holds the perpetrator accountable," Goliati said.

The case has sparked a national conversation about justice, public safety, and the responsibilities of drivers, with many Zimbabweans calling for reforms to ensure that such cases do not go unpunished in the future.