Two former Central Mechanical Equipment Department (CMED) employees charged with culpable homicide after they allegedly fitted a wrong tyre on the car which killed the Minister of Gender, Youth Development and Employment Creation, Border Gezi, and his driver in 2001, will go on trial on January 24 this year at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts.
Lemekani Chatama (34) and Fidelis Muchenje (33) jointly face the charge. They yesterday appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa, who announced their trial date. The two, who are out of custody, were initially charged in Mvuma where an inquiry into the death of the late Cde Gezi was conducted six months after the crash. The inquiry recommended the two be charged since they exhibited gross negligence which caused the tragic accident resulting in the death of Gezi and his driver, Mr Barnabas Murondatsimba, in 2001.
According to the State, represented by Mr Blessing Masiyakurima, allegations against Chatama, then a workshop foreman, and Muchenje, then an artisan based at CMED Headquarters VIP section, arose from the events of February 19 2001. On that day, it is alleged, Gezi’s driver, Mr Murondatsimba, took the minister’s official Mercedes Benz vehicle to the CMED premises for repair.
The car was received by Chatama, who inspected it and completed a job card before assigning Muchenje, his subordinate, to fit a wheel on the vehicle, the State will allege. Muchenje, a class one mechanic well versed in the nature of his duties, allegedly fitted a low profile tyre on the left rear side of the car, it will be alleged.
The tyre was different from three other tyres on the car, the State will allege. The minister’s driver, the State will further allege, left the workshop with the car, but Chatama made no effort to check the job done by his subordinate.
The late Gezi and his driver, Mr Murondatsimba, died on April 28 2001 on their way to Masvingo, where the minister was scheduled to attend a Zanu PF meeting. His official Mercedes Benz car veered off the road and rammed into a huge gum tree at the 200-kilometre peg along the Harare-Masvingo Road.
The resultant fatal crash was blamed on the low profile tyre fitted on his vehicle which peeled off and burst. Immediately after Gezi’s death, President Mugabe announced that a full-scale investigation into the cause of the accident would be launched. Popularly known as Madzibaba Border, the late Gezi was a darling of Zanu PF supporters and sparked wild applause each time he spiced up serious political business with his famous “kongonya” dance.
He was unanimously declared a national hero and was buried at the National Heroes Acre on May 2, 2001. Described by many as a fearless individual and a straight-talking politician, the late Cde Gezi’s achievements were larger than his short life that ended with him just 36 years old. His booming voice, a trademark bushy beard, his vast knowledge of the Bible, that intelligence and practical approach to politics is what many will remember about the man who rose from a war collaborator to a Cabinet minister.
While initially it was suspected that Gezi’s driver could have lost control of the vehicle on taking evasive action after seeing objects lying on the road, an inquest, which began six months after the minister’s burial, concluded that the wrong tyre fitted on the vehicle caused the fatal accident. The findings of the inquest resulted in Chatama and Muchenje being charged with culpable homicide.
