Lockdown violation bus crew jailed

By Thupeyo Muleya

Shelton Matambo (48) and Perkins Mugwagwa (30) were busted by the police while transporting 38 people from Mutare to Beitbridge on Thursday evening last week.

They pleaded guilty to contravening section 4 (2) of Statutory Instrument 183/2020 – “Public Health Covid-19 prevention and treatment (national lockdown) order: 2020’ when they appeared before Beitbridge Magistrate, Miss Eunice Chimweta.

Matambo and Mugwagwa were left with five-months effective to serve after three months of the jail term were conditionally set aside for five years. Prosecuting, Mr Tariro Makaya said on January 14, at around 6.30 PM at the 20 km along the Beitbridge-Masvingo highway, an anti-smuggling team made up of Ferret members came across the accused and their bus. The Ferret team is made up of officials from the national security cluster.

The team then stopped the bus and asked the accused persons why they were travelling in violation of curfew regulations and they failed to give a satisfactory explanation.

The bus was in turn searched and it was discovered that it had 38 passengers.

Matambo and Mugwagwa were subsequently arrested. The case comes a few weeks after three music promoters were jailed for six months each for hosting a New Year’s Eve gig which breached Covid-19 regulations and was seen by authorities as a potential super-spreader of the pandemic.

Hundreds of people attended the gig which was held in Mbare, Harare and organised by Arnold Kamudyariwa, popularly known as DJ Fantan; Tafadzwa Kadzimwe, also known as Levels and music promoter Dammer, born Simbarashe Chanachimwe.

Harare provincial magistrate, Ms Vongai Muchuchuti sentenced them to 12 months in prison but they were released by the High Court on bail pending an appeal against the sentence. The Chronicle