Bulawayo Teen Jailed After Fatal Joyride Took Zimpapers Employee’s Life

Two Bulawayo teens have been jailed after a joyride claimed the life of a Zimpapers employee while waiting for their other trial.

Two 19-year-olds from Bulawayo have been sentenced to six months imprisonment for stealing a work vehicle, which resulted in a deadly collision claiming the life of Zimpapers employee Silas Bhunu. The delivery driver was fatally struck while performing his newspaper distribution duties on a motorcycle.

Bulawayo Teen Jailed After Fatal Joyride Took Zimpapers Employee’s Life

Melusi Nkomo of Nketa 6 and Shelton Dube of Nkulumane appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Archie Wochiwunga, where they admitted guilt to charges of unauthorised property use.

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The court suspended three months of their sentence for three years, contingent on good behaviour, leaving an active three-month jail term for each defendant.

Details of the Tragic Event

Prosecutor Audrey Kufandikanwe presented evidence showing the incident occurred on August 2 when the accused, employed at an automotive repair shop in Kelvin North industrial area, returned after hours. They allegedly took a customer’s Toyota Hilux GD6 that had been left for servicing without permission from their supervisor Washington Moyo.

Their unauthorized city excursion turned catastrophic when they collided with Bhunu’s motorcycle. The impact proved fatal for the newspaper courier and caused significant damage to the stolen vehicle. Police investigations confirmed the theft, leading to the pair’s apprehension.

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Teen To Face Pending Additional Charges

Nkomo faces separate legal proceedings scheduled for August 21, where he will answer to culpable homicide charges related to Bhunu’s death. The case is set to kick off while they are jailed for ther theft case. The case continues to develop as authorities pursue full accountability for the tragic incident.