Harare, (New Ziana) – A 51-year-old truck driver has been banned from driving for 2 years and will perform 210 hours of community service after being convicted of negligent driving for his role in a devastating collision that left several people injured last October.

Lot Svotwa was arraigned before the Karoi Magistrates’ Court on charges of contravening the Road Traffic Act.

Prosecutors alleged that on October 21, 2023, Svotwa was driving a Freightliner tractor-trailer along the Chirundu-Harare highway with two passengers when he inexplicably veered into oncoming traffic.

Svotwa’s truck first sideswiped a Howo Sino truck traveling in the opposite direction before he lost control of the vehicle, which swerved and collided head-on with a Dragon Bus also headed the other way.

Four passengers from the bus and two from Svotwa’s truck were injured in the crash and were rushed to Karoi District Hospital for treatment.

Prosecutors argued that Svotwa had demonstrated a clear pattern of negligent driving, including failure to keep a proper lookout, failure to maintain control of his vehicle, traveling at an excessive speed for the conditions and failing to stop or take evasive action when the accident became imminent.

After hearing the harrowing details, Magistrate Tendai Mahachi settled for a suspended 6-month prison term and 210 hours of community service as well as banning Svotwa from driving for 2 years.

New Ziana