A 24-year-old Harare commuter omnibus driver was sentenced to an effective 30 months in prison this week after he repeatedly ignored police orders to stop, drove through red traffic lights and against oncoming traffic while trying to evade officers, and was later found in possession of dagga.
Farai Wireless appeared before Harare magistrate Appolonia Marutya facing four counts of contravening the Traffic Act and one count of unlawful possession of dangerous drugs.
He was sentenced to an effective 30 months in prison and permanently disqualified from holding a driver’s licence.
The State was represented by Kudzai Hapaguti of the Zimbabwe Republic Police Harare Central CBD Traffic section.
The court heard that the offences occurred over two days in July 2026.
On July 5, at around 10am, Hapaguti and his colleague, Officer Bauleni, were conducting traffic patrols along Chiremba Road on a police motorcycle when they spotted a Toyota Hiace, registration number AGJ 3199, displaying a Ghaco sticker.
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The court heard that Hapaguti signalled Wireless to stop at a railway crossing, but he allegedly ignored the order and drove away.
The following day, the officers spotted the same vehicle at the intersection of Fourth Street and Robert Mugabe Road. Hapaguti again signalled Wireless to stop, but he allegedly ignored the order and drove through a red traffic light.
Hapaguti pursued the vehicle and ordered Wireless to stop through the window. The accused allegedly continued driving before moving onto the wrong side of ED Mnangagwa Way towards Nelson Mandela Avenue.
He allegedly made a sudden U-turn and continued driving against the flow of traffic, before running another red light at the Robert Mugabe Road and ED Mnangagwa Way intersection.
The court heard that Wireless then drove recklessly through Rhodesville, Cranborne and Msasa Park.
The pursuit ended after Hapaguti contacted the owner of the commuter omnibus, who instructed Wireless to stop. He was subsequently arrested.
Following his detention at Harare Central Police Station, police searched him and allegedly recovered a sachet of dagga and Rizzla rolling papers.
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