Zimbabwe traffic police are now operating in dangerous environment as recently evidenced by the increase of attempted murder cases where “unscrupulous” kombi drivers have attempted to run over the law enforcement agents in a bid to avoid arrests.
On Wednesday, one such commuter omnibus driver, Patrick Ncube, who nearly killed a traffic cop in Harare, was issued with a warrant of arrest after failing to turn up for trial at the Harare Magistrates’ Court.
When Ncube appeared in court last month, he was granted $50 bail and remanded out of custody after the prosecution consented to bail.
In this matter, Ncube (22) allegedly missed Constable Yeukai Chikosha by a whisker after driving towards her at full speed as she controlled a roadblock near ABC Auctions along Seke Road in the Graniteside industrial area.
Chikosha, however, jumped off the road and smashed the kombi’s windscreen, thereby forcing Ncube to stop.
The incident occurred on May 2 at around 11am. Ncube was carrying passengers at the time. When police officers arrested Ncube, they also discovered that he was not supposed to be driving passenger-ferrying vehicles given his age which is below 25 years. Ncube was then charged with attempted murder, reckless driving and driving a public vehicle under the required age limit.
Just two weeks ago another traffic cop, Moleen Chingwaru, escaped death after a commuter omnibus driver hit and fractured her leg while attempting to evade a roadblock.
Last weekend, a Bulawayo traffic policewoman, Sergeant Ottilia Magwenya, was crushed to death by a speeding motorist at a roadblock in Ilanda suburb. She was 36.
