HARARE – A commuter omnibus conductor has been handed a 12-month jail sentence after he was convicted of stealing a cell phone from an accident victim who died together with two others in a kombi crash in Hatfield, Harare 13 August 2024.
The head-on-collision, which also left 31 injured, happened at the intersection of Seke Road and St Patrick’s Road.
It was blamed on a police officer who was driving another commuter omnibus which encroached on to the lane for oncoming traffic resulting in the fatal crash.
Terence Mavheneke, 24, appeared before the Epworth Magistrates’ Court accused of stealing Christabella Makwanya’s phone.
Said the National Prosecuting Authority in a statement on Wednesday, “The accused person, a commuter omnibus conductor who was among those assisting at the scene, stole the deceased’s cell phone, a Samsung Note 20 Ultra.
“The mobile phone was recovered on the 14th of August 2024 in Chitungwiza from Nigel Kwaramba and Godwin Chindima who implicated the accused person leading to his arrest.”
The value of the stolen phone, according to prosecutors, was US$550 and it was recovered.
Mavheneke was convicted and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment of which 5 months were suspended for 5 years. He will serve 7 months effectively.
