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A 26-year-old Harare kombi driver has been sentenced by the Rusape Magistrates’ Court after being convicted of culpable homicide arising from a fatal road traffic accident on the Harare-Mutare highway.
The driver, Brendon Boilers Chando, of Cleveland Brookside in Harare, was convicted after a crash that claimed the lives of two people.
According to reports based on information from the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe, the accident occurred on 20 September 2025 at about 2pm.
Chando was driving a Toyota Hiace carrying 14 passengers when he attempted to overtake at the 138-kilometre peg of the Harare-Mutare highway.
The prosecution case was that during the overtaking manoeuvre, he encountered an oncoming vehicle and failed to take appropriate action to avoid the collision.
The resulting crash was fatal, leading to the culpable homicide conviction.
Reports on the sentence initially referred to a 15-month prison term. However, the more detailed reports indicate that Chando was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment, with five months suspended for five years, leaving an effective 10-month custodial sentence. He was also prohibited from driving for two years and his driver's licence was cancelled.
The case has once again brought attention to the risks associated with dangerous overtaking and speeding on Zimbabwe's major highways.
The Harare-Mutare highway is one of the country's major transport corridors, carrying large numbers of private vehicles, buses, haulage trucks and commuter omnibuses. Dangerous overtaking on such roads can have particularly serious consequences because of the speed and volume of traffic.
The National Prosecuting Authority has repeatedly warned motorists that reckless driving can result not only in loss of life but also criminal prosecution.
The Chando case is also a reminder that culpable homicide convictions can arise where a driver's negligent conduct causes another person's death.
In a separate culpable homicide case involving a fatal accident on the same broad corridor, the NPA stressed the importance of motorists keeping proper lookout, controlling their speed and taking reasonable action when danger becomes apparent.
The latest case therefore reinforces the need for public transport operators to observe road safety regulations and for drivers to exercise particular caution when overtaking.
For passengers, the case highlights the risks they face when travelling in public transport vehicles whose drivers may make dangerous decisions on busy highways.
The court's decision also carries a wider road-safety message: a driver's responsibility does not end with transporting passengers to their destination. It includes protecting passengers, other motorists, pedestrians and every other road user sharing the highway.
Zimbabwe continues to face a significant road safety challenge, with excessive speed, poor judgement and other driver-related factors repeatedly featuring in fatal crashes.
The driver, Brendon Boilers Chando, of Cleveland Brookside in Harare, was convicted after a crash that claimed the lives of two people.
According to reports based on information from the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe, the accident occurred on 20 September 2025 at about 2pm.
Chando was driving a Toyota Hiace carrying 14 passengers when he attempted to overtake at the 138-kilometre peg of the Harare-Mutare highway.
The prosecution case was that during the overtaking manoeuvre, he encountered an oncoming vehicle and failed to take appropriate action to avoid the collision.
The resulting crash was fatal, leading to the culpable homicide conviction.
Reports on the sentence initially referred to a 15-month prison term. However, the more detailed reports indicate that Chando was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment, with five months suspended for five years, leaving an effective 10-month custodial sentence. He was also prohibited from driving for two years and his driver's licence was cancelled.
The case has once again brought attention to the risks associated with dangerous overtaking and speeding on Zimbabwe's major highways.
The Harare-Mutare highway is one of the country's major transport corridors, carrying large numbers of private vehicles, buses, haulage trucks and commuter omnibuses. Dangerous overtaking on such roads can have particularly serious consequences because of the speed and volume of traffic.
The National Prosecuting Authority has repeatedly warned motorists that reckless driving can result not only in loss of life but also criminal prosecution.
The Chando case is also a reminder that culpable homicide convictions can arise where a driver's negligent conduct causes another person's death.
In a separate culpable homicide case involving a fatal accident on the same broad corridor, the NPA stressed the importance of motorists keeping proper lookout, controlling their speed and taking reasonable action when danger becomes apparent.
The latest case therefore reinforces the need for public transport operators to observe road safety regulations and for drivers to exercise particular caution when overtaking.
For passengers, the case highlights the risks they face when travelling in public transport vehicles whose drivers may make dangerous decisions on busy highways.
The court's decision also carries a wider road-safety message: a driver's responsibility does not end with transporting passengers to their destination. It includes protecting passengers, other motorists, pedestrians and every other road user sharing the highway.
Zimbabwe continues to face a significant road safety challenge, with excessive speed, poor judgement and other driver-related factors repeatedly featuring in fatal crashes.
Published
August 18, 2026 at 10:00 AM
