HARARE – A commuter omnibus – kombi – crashed on a tree with passengers and police details on board in Marimba, Harare after a driver who was being escorted to the police station for violating a traffic offence jumped off the moving vehicle to escape arrest.
The drama, captured by witnesses on phone video and circulated on social media, has been confirmed by police.
The kombi, with registration number ACQ 1884, was being driven along Hean Road towards High Glen Road turn-off, according to a Friday statement by police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi.
Narrating the incident, Nyathi said the rogue driver suddenly jumped off the moving vehicle resulting in it crashing onto a tree with people jumping out.
The viral image was met with a lot of speculation by the public on what exactly happened.
Said the police spokesperson, “The correct position is that police officers from ZRP Marimba were manning a road block when they arrested the driver for openly contravening the provision of the Road Traffic Act, Chapter 13:11. The vehicle was impounded.
“A Marimba Police Station vehicle then came to pick the police officers who had completed tour of duty. The impounded kombi’s driver was then ordered to drive to Marimba Police Station with two police officers inside the kombi, escorting it. The police vehicle was following behind.
“As the kombi was moving, the driver suddenly jumped out, leaving the kombi to crash onto the tree. The driver ran away from the scene.”
Nyathi said the kombi was later taken to ZRP Marimba by police officers who recorded statements from some of the passengers and other witnesses.
The police spokesperson said the owner of the kombi, Loverage Chikwape,50, of Kuwadzana Extension in Harare later claimed he did not know the person who was driving the vehicle at the time.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police implores kombi operators and their crew to assist in the maintenance of law and order in the country,” Nyathi said.
“There is no reason whatsoever for any kombi driver to be reckless and openly cause an accident while being escorted to a Police Station with police officers and passengers inside.”
