By Lerato Ndlovu
An illegal taxi driver was recently charged $10 000 for breaching the Covid-19 regulations by ferrying commuters without social distance in Chinhoyi.
Chinhoyi Magistrate Tapiwa Banda presided over the issue.
The driver Muramba Blessing (34) of Chikonohono Chinhoyi pleaded guilty when he appeared in court facing charges of contradicting SI 83 of 2020 section 4 (2) which reads “Transport services, whether intracity or intercity for the carriage of passengers shall be restricted to those provided by- the parastatal company ZUPCO…” 4(4) “any person who contravenes subsection (1) or (2) shall be guilty of an offence and liable to fine not exceeding level twelve or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or to both fine and such imprisonment.”
Magistrate Tapiwa Banda sentenced Maramba to pay $10 000 by 15th day of March this year or face 45 days’ imprisonment.
Maramba was arrested on 19 February at around 9am, by officers who were patrolling the towns central business district on a motorbike enforcing traffic laws and Covid-19 lockdown rules regulations.
Maramba, who was driving a white Honda Fit registration number AEO 8861, failed to produce exemption letters allowing him to move around during the Covid-19 lockdown.
He was ferrying five passengers going into town.
The car was impounded by Chinhoyi Traffic Police.
