Unlicensed CIO up for culpable homicide

By Tawanda Mangoma

An unlicensed member of the Central Intelligence Organisation has appeared in court for causing a head-on collision that resulted in the death of one person along the Ngundu-Tanganda Road in April.

Moreblessing Deze (25) of Maseko Road in Chiredzi appeared before Chiredzi magistrate Mrs Geraldine Mutsoto on Wednesday facing culpable homicide and driving without a valid licence charges.

Deze, through her lawyer Mr Emmanuel Chibudu of Kwirira and Magwaliba Legal practitioners, denied the charges when her trial opened, arguing that she was not the one who was driving the Nissan Note vehicle.

Deze alleged that her colleague, Veronica Nyengera — a police officer who is also unlicensed — was driving when their vehicle encroached into the opposite lane, leading to a head-on collision that caused the death of Molleen Vushe.

Vushe was a passenger in the other vehicle that was going in the opposite direction.

Prosecutor Mr Gladmore Gwara alleged that the Nissan vehicle driven by Deze was unregistered.

“At the 78km peg along the Ngundu-Tanganda Highway, Deze drove an unregistered Nissan Note negligently by failing to keep the motor vehicle under proper control and failed to act reasonably when the accident was imminent, thereby causing the death of Molleen Vushe,” said Mr Gwara.

He alleged that Deze’s failure to control her vehicle when she was being overtaken resulted in her encroaching in the opposite lane, which caused the head-on collision.

In her defence, through Mr Chibudu, Deze alleged that the investigating officer in the case, Itayi Chitsuro, was fabricating the story to nail her.

She alleged that Nyengera was the one behind the wheel and connived with Chitsuro to nail her since they were both police officers.

“Veronica Nyengera requested around $600 from the accused after claiming that she wanted to talk to members of the Vehicle Inspection Department to try and facilitate that the matter be swept under the carpet, said Mr Chibudu.

“We have the EcoCash transactions and communications to this effect.

“The investigation officer latter called the accused to come and sign a warned and cautioned statement, but she told him that she was not the driver on the day in question.”

The trial will proceed on August 3 when cross examination of defence witnesses will take place.The Herald