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Abigail Mawonde, Harare Bureau
A COMMUTER omnibus evading the Vehicle Inspection Department checkpoint collided head-on with an oncoming vehicle in Murehwa yesterday morning killing 10 people and injuring 13.

National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed the accident.

“The accident occurred at the 59km peg along the Harare-Nyamapanda road around 07:00 hours. A commuter omnibus was travelling from Murehwa towards Harare with about 23 passengers.

“It was stopped at a VID check-point and this driver wanted to evade the check-point. He then went into the right lane, which is the opposite lane, where there was also another commuter omnibus coming,” she said.

Of the 10 who perished, nine were women while the other victim was a man. A total of 10 people died — nine women and a man. Of these, four died on spot while two who had been transferred to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare were pronounced dead upon arrival. Four others were pronounced dead upon arrival at Musami Mission Hospital in Murewa.

Of the 13 injured, eight had serious injuries.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba described the accident as a sad incident and urged drivers to practice caution on roads.

“This a very sad development in that there is a possibility that these (the deceased) are female breadwinners who were probably heading to Mbare to do their day to day business.

“We continue to urge drivers to be cautious always and for one to evade a check-point is quite sad,” she said.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said bodies of the deceased were at the two hospitals’ mortuaries.

She appealed to people to always carry identity particulars when travelling. She also urged people with missing relatives to check with the police.

The names of the deceased have been withheld until their next of kin have been informed.

The accident happens barely a month after 11 people were burnt beyond recognition while 14 others were seriously injured when a Honda CRV collided with a Nissan Caravan at the 60km peg along Centenary Mvurwi road and both vehicle caught fire on impact.