By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
The law is showing no leniency towards negligent drivers, as a Harare man has been handed a stiff jail term and stripped of his driving privileges after causing a fatal road accident.
Ernest Ringisai Mauna (39) was convicted of culpable homicide by the Harare Magistrates’ Court following a tragic pile-up accident in Borrowdale. He was sentenced to 36 months in prison, with 12 months suspended, leaving him to serve an effective 24 months behind bars.
The court heard that on 14 April 2025, Mauna was speeding along Harare Drive in a Nissan Hardbody when he failed to maintain a safe following distance. He rammed into a Toyota Wish, triggering a chain collision involving several vehicles, including a Nissan Sunny, a Powerstar heavy truck, and a Honda Fit.
The impact forced the Nissan Sunny into the oncoming lane, where it collided head-on with the Powerstar truck. Tragically, Andrew Makuwaza (53), a passenger in the Nissan Sunny, died instantly.
Investigations revealed that Mauna had been driving recklessly at excessive speed and failed to react when the accident became imminent.
In addition to imprisonment, the court ordered the cancellation of his driver’s licence classes 2, 4, and 5, effectively barring him from operating both light and heavy motor vehicles.
The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe has warned that such prosecutions underline a clear message: reckless and negligent driving will not be tolerated. Drivers are urged to exercise patience, caution, and responsibility on the roads.
“Reckless driving costs lives. The law will not spare offenders who put others in danger,” the Authority stressed.