Teenagers arrested over Mudzi accident

News
Three boys from Mudzi who allegedly rolled two big stones into the middle of the Harare-Nyamapanda highway, causing the road traffic accident that killed 15 people last week, have been arrested.

Three boys from Mudzi who allegedly rolled two big stones into the middle of the Harare-Nyamapanda highway, causing the road traffic accident that killed 15 people last week, have been arrested.

By Jairos Saunyama

The accused minors who are aged 12, 14 and 16 from Chief Nyamukoho’s area, were arrested by police in Kotwa after one of them reportedly confessed to causing the accident.

Male hands in handcuffs
Male hands in handcuffs

Police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi yesterday confirmed the development, saying investigations were in progress.

“We are investigating accusations being levelled against the three minors,” said Nyathi.

However, according to a reliable source, the matter came to light after intensive awareness campaigns by police who engaged the community on the dangers of putting dangerous objects on the roads.

It is alleged that the boys had accompanied a relative to a bus station on the fateful Friday night when they rolled two rocks to the middle of the road.

The Mudzi accident happened at around 11:20pm at the 205km peg along the Harare-Nyamapanda highway.

According to police, 23 members of the African Apostolic Sect (Mwazha) sect were on board a Mazda Bongo vehicle when the driver lost control after hitting two big stones in his lane and swerved into the opposite lane where it collided head on with a bus which had 16 passengers on board.

Police said 13 people including the driver of the Mazda Bongo died on the spot.

Twenty-two people were injured and rushed to Kotwa Hospital where two others died while being transferred to Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare. Four people escaped the accident unhurt.