Driver Jailed for Deadly Seke Road Crash that Killed 17

By Kudzaishe Chimonera

A Chitungwiza court has convicted and sentenced a 56-year-old truck driver over a devastating road traffic accident that claimed 17 lives and injured five others along Seke Road last year.

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) said Desire Madiviko was found guilty following a full trial into the crash which occurred on 22 July 2025 at Manyame bridge in Chitungwiza.

The court heard that Madiviko was driving a South African-registered Nissan UD heavy truck at excessive speed when he lost control of the vehicle.

The truck mounted a road island, struck pedestrians and veered into oncoming traffic before colliding with a commuter omnibus.

The heavy vehicle overturned and landed on top of the omnibus killing 17 people and leaving five others with injuries.

Magistrates ruled that Madiviko acted with gross negligence while operating the truck, convicting him of culpable homicide.

As part of the sentence, the court imposed a lifetime ban on Madiviko from driving Class 2 motor vehicles. He was also prohibited from driving all other classes of vehicles for two years with all his existing licences cancelled.

Madiviko was sentenced to seven years in prison with two years suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.

This leaves him with an effective custodial sentence of five years.