A 23-year-old motorist from Glen View, Harare, has been sentenced to an effective 30 months in prison and banned from driving for life following a fatal head-on collision.
Munashe Costa Matete appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court, where he was convicted of culpable homicide and driving without a valid driver’s licence.
The court heard that on 1 May 2026, at approximately 1 PM, Matete was driving a Volvo along Bishop Gaul Road in Harare. His vehicle encroached into the oncoming lane, resulting in a head-on smash with a Nissan Dayz.
The high-impact collision left both drivers, as well as a female passenger in the Nissan Dayz, with serious injuries. The passenger was rushed to Avenues Clinic, where she later tragically succumbed to her injuries.
During the proceedings, the court found Matete negligent on several particulars, including failing to keep a proper lookout, driving at an excessive speed under the circumstances, failing to take reasonable action when a collision became imminent, and failing to maintain proper control of his vehicle.
It was also established that Matete did not possess a valid Zimbabwean driver’s licence at the time of the crash.
For the first count of culpable homicide, Matete was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment, with 12 months suspended, leaving 24 months to serve. The magistrate also prohibited him from driving for life.
On the second count of driving without a licence, he was handed a further six months in prison, culminating in an effective total custodial sentence of 30 months.
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