The driver of a Sihube bus which overturned and killed five passengers along the Nkayi-Bulawayo Road early this month got a reprieve yesterday after the State spared him and charged the bus company of culpable homicide.
Prosecutor Carrington Dliwayo advised the court they had decided to charge the company after discovering that it authorised the use of the defective bus although the Vehicle Inspection Department had decommissioned it from carrying passengers.
The bus company had reportedly been issued with three notices to stop carrying passengers.
The driver, Spoko Johnson Moyo (73), was being jointly charged with the bus inspector Caboniah Mpofu (61).
However, Mpofu had the charges withdrawn before plea after the State conceded that he had been wrongfully charged with culpable homicide, as he was not linked to the accident.
Moyo denied the charges arguing the accident was caused by a mechanical fault beyond his control.
He was remanded out of custody to February 21 to allow the State to prepare the charges and docket against the bus company.
The accident occurred on January 6 at the 24km peg along the Bulawayo–Nkayi Road.
