Taxi driver jailed for brutal assault

A Bulawayo taxi driver whose name evokes mercy and kindness instead found himself at the centre of a brutal street attack that nearly claimed a man's life, after a dispute over taxi fares spiralled into violence.

Amazing Grace Sibanda (24), of Gwabalanda, was convicted of attempted murder by the Bulawayo Magistrates' Court after he and two accomplices viciously assaulted a passenger during a late-night altercation in the city centre.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ), the incident occurred on 26 October 2025 at around 11pm at the corner of Herbert Chitepo Street and Sixth Avenue. Sibanda, who was driving a white Honda Fit, had picked up a 33-year-old man and his two friends when an argument broke out over the taxi fare.

Instead of resolving the dispute amicably, Sibanda drove back to the original pick-up point, where the situation rapidly escalated. Prosecutors told the court that Sibanda and two accomplices, who are still at large, launched a sustained attack on the victim.

"Upon arrival, the offender and two accomplices assaulted the victim using a sjambok, iron bars and bricks until he fell unconscious," the NPAZ said in a statement.

The court heard that the assault took place in full view of the street and was so severe that it could easily have resulted in the victim's death. Sibanda fled the scene following the attack, leaving the victim badly injured.

In passing sentence, the magistrate convicted Sibanda of attempted murder and imposed a 12-month prison term. Three months were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour, while the remaining nine months were suspended on the condition that Sibanda completes 315 hours of community service.

The ruling marked a dramatic fall from grace for the young taxi driver, whose actions stood in stark contrast to his name. What began as a routine fare dispute ended with a criminal conviction and a hard lesson from the courts, underscoring the serious consequences of street violence.