Harare - A Harare motorist, who cut off Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's motorcade as it was passing, has been jailed.
Joseph Chakanetsa (28) was on Thursday jailed two years by magistrate Tendai Rusinahama after the court found him guilty of negligent driving. He was further slapped with a 60-day jail term for failing to stop after committing the offence.
Chakanetsa was also fined US$200 (R3000) for ignoring instructions by Mugabe's security team to drive to Borrowdale Police Station. Further to that, his driver's licence was cancelled and he was banned from driving heavy vehicles and public transport for life. He had been convicted on his own plea of guilty.
Chakanetsa was remorseful and pleaded for mercy, saying he did not hear the Presidential motorcade's sirens nor did he even realise it was passing when he drove into the convoy. He said his ERF tipper truck was making a lot of noise, hence it was difficult for him to hear external noises. The incident occurred last Saturday.
For the prosecution, Patience Chimusaru said Chakanetsa was ordered to stop by a police officer identified as Mazowe, who was in one of the escort team's vehicles. She said he complied, but when he was ordered to drive to the police station, he sped off, dodged two police vehicles until he was cornered and arrested in a high-density suburb across town, about 25km away. In between, he drove against oncoming traffic and shot past red traffic lights.
“I lost my mind”
Asked why he sped away, Chakanetsa said he got scared the moment he realised his truck was now part of the motorcade, adding he literally lost his mind. He said he even forgot his place of residence, thereby ending up in the Rugare high-density suburb. In mitigation, Chakanetsa had said when he realised Mugabe was passing, it was too dangerous for him to immediately stop, saying it would have caused more harm to himself and other motorists. He had also pleaded with the court to consider there was no injury, collision or damage to property.
The incident came a week after two members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police allegedly intercepted Mugabe's motorcade in the capital and assaulted two of his outriders after they had been ordered off the road. The two - Munyaradzi Chivengwa (34) and Lubelihle Nyathi (26) - appeared before magistrate Tendai Mahwe charged with assault and resisting law officers.
Prosecutor Francisa Mukumbiri told the court that Stanley Chimoto was leading a team of six outriders escorting Mugabe as he was on his way to his rural Zvimba home.
Chimoto is said to have stopped at an intersection to stop cars from crossing, when Chivengwa and Nyathi arrived in their car and ignored orders to stop, instead proceeding through the road. The outrider got onto his bike, went after the two and blocked them, before they attacked him.
Another outrider, Fortune Sibanda, came to Chimoto's rescue, but he was also attacked, before the public assisted in apprehending Chivengwa and Nyathi.