Motorist Banned From Driving For Negligent Driving

A 39-year-old Harare man has been jailed for two years after causing a fatal road traffic accident in Borrowdale earlier this year.

Ernest Ringisai Mauna was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment by the Harare Magistrates’ Court with 12 months suspended on condition of good behaviour leaving him to serve an effective 24 months behind bars.

The court heard that on 14 April 2025, Mauna was driving a Nissan Hardbody at excessive speed along Harare Drive when he failed to maintain a safe following distance.

He rammed into a Toyota Wish sparking a chain reaction that involved several other vehicles including a Nissan Sunny, a Powerstar heavy truck and a Honda Fit.

The Nissan Sunny was forced into the oncoming lane where it collided head-on with the Powerstar.

A passenger in the Sunny, 53-year-old Andrew Makuwaza died instantly.

Prosecutors said Mauna drove negligently and failed to take evasive action when the crash became inevitable.

In addition to the custodial sentence, the court cancelled his driver’s licence for classes 2, 4 and 5 effectively banning him from operating both light and heavy motor vehicles.

Magistrates urged drivers to exercise patience and responsibility on the road warning that reckless driving would not be tolerated.