HARARE – Presidential spokesperson George Charamba has vowed the country will use all available diplomatic channels to pursue a United States embassy official who fled the country last month after he ran over and killed an 11-year-old Zimbabwean girl.
US Embassy Second Secretary, Eric Kimpton allegedly ran over Ruvarashe Takamhanya in Dema, a peri-urban area over 60km south of Harare.
The incident happened on June 3, 2024.
Kimpton left the country 24 hours later claiming he was traumatised by the incident and needed time out to receive counselling in his home country.
He promised to fly back to Zimbabwe after two weeks, a situation that would allow police to complete investigations into the fatal incident and subsequently put the matter to rest.
But for reasons best known to himself, Kimpton has elected to remain holed up in the States, inflaming already simmering diplomatic tensions between Harare and Washington.
Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet (Presidential Communications), George Charamba, questioned Kimpton’s undiplomatic conduct adding that the “fugitive” will be brought to justice.
“No one, from whichever country or continent, is allowed to spill innocent Zimbabwean blood and get away with it,” Charamba told State media.
“The behaviour of diplomats must be consistent with the dignity of their profession but also with the expectations of the Vienna Convention.
“When a diplomat is involved in a fatal traffic accident, uses the pretext of counselling, which he thinks is only available in his country, and then decides to stay away from the police, he or she moves from being a diplomat to a fugitive and there are adequate instruments which Zimbabwe can summon to bring that diplomat to account. We will do precisely that.”
