Tsvangirai death crash truck driver named

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Posted to the web: 07/03/2009 23:59:12
THE driver of the “killer truck” involved in the crash that claimed the life of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s wife has been named as Chinoona Mwanda, 35.

The tearful Mwanda was taken back to the scene of Friday’s crash on Saturday morning after spending the night at a police station.

Tears streaming down his eyes, the bald headed and bearded Mwanda spoke briefly to reporters, saying: “I am asking for forgiveness.”

Police sources say the driver, who faces a culpable homicide charge, was suicidal.

Mwanda was driving a truck owned by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). He was carrying Aids drugs for a project co-funded by the US and British governments and run by the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council.

The privately owned Standard newspaper, quoting police sources, said Mwanda may have been trying to avoid a “killer hump” on a small strip of the Harare-Masvingo road when he sideswiped the Prime Minister’s Toyota Landcruiser, sending it into a spin.

Once off the road, the Cruiser rolled three times and the PM’s wife, Susan, was reportedly thrown out of the car which landed on its roof. She died on the spot.

The Prime Minister, who was on his way to Buhera, his rural home, was treated for neck and head injuries. He was flown to neighbouring Botswana on Saturday for further checks.

Police say road construction workers who were filling potholes left a mound of tarring material on the road.

“As a result of the impact of hitting the hump, which is only on one side of the road, Mwanda’s vehicle encroached onto the other lane sideswiping the Prime Minister’s car,” the Standard said.

A full investigation is underway to establish the cause of the crash. The MDC says there is no evidence to suspect foul play, while the UK government said “all indications are that this was a genuine accident”.

The Nissan UD truck Mwanda was driving was barely damaged, sustaining witness statements that the contact with the PM’s Cruiser may have been minimal.

Human rights lawyer Chris Mhike has been hired to represent Mwanda.
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