Five Children Lose Their Lives After Truck Veered Off The Road

In a heart-wrenching turn of events on Saturday, five children died after a truck veered off its path along the Harare-Mukumbura highway. The accident claimed the lives of five of the girls, leaving another one seriously injured.

The incident was confirmed in a report directed to the Officer Commanding Bindura Police District. The memo, released on Sunday, detailed that the sixth pedestrian, alongside a passenger who was in the car, was immediately rushed to the hospital to receive urgent medical attention for their injuries.

Details of the Incident

The driver involved in the accident has been identified as 51-year-old Washington Timburwa, a member of ZNA’s Two Brigade unit stationed at Cranborne, Harare. At the time of the accident, he was driving a privately owned Nissan Primera with a single passenger on board.

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Five children die — Children die after speeding truck veers off the road-Image Source@iStock

According to the police report, Timburwa lost control of his vehicle around the 90-kilometre mark on the Harare-Mukumbura highway. The vehicle initially swerved to the left side of the road before abruptly veering to the right, colliding with the six unsuspecting pedestrians walking in a southern direction.

The car then flipped multiple times before coming to a halt on its roof approximately five meters away from the highway, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.

Casualties and Injuries

Three of the victims died instantly at the scene of the collision, while two others succumbed to their injuries upon arrival at Bindura Hospital. The sixth pedestrian, identified as Manhenga, sustained critical injuries, including a fractured leg and severe head trauma and is currently receiving treatment at Bindura Hospital.

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The unfortunate teenage victims of this tragedy have been named as follows:

Nokutenda Mabheka, aged 14 (Died at the scene)
Rachel Sinodia, aged 13 (Died at the scene)
Chipo Chikanda, aged 13 (Died at the scene)
Misiyose Benjamin, aged 14 (Died upon hospital admission)
Makanaka (Full details not available; died upon hospital admission)

All the deceased victims suffered severe head injuries as a result of the accident. The sole surviving pedestrian, Manhenga, remains in critical condition at the hospital. At the same time, the car’s passenger, identified as 22-year-old Nyasha Ngwerume from Shirikadzi Village, Chief Masembura, Bindura, sustained a head injury but is reported to be in a stable condition.

Investigations and Charges

The tragic accident, which took place shortly after 4 PM on Saturday, has been attributed to speeding. The police have since charged Timburwa with culpable homicide for his role in the accident. The vehicle involved in the incident sustained extensive damage and has been towed to the Bindura Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) for further assessment and inspection.