A 55-year-old Beitbridge man has been sentenced to two years imprisonment for driving a public service vehicle while heavily intoxicated.
In a statement, the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) said Admire Ndebele was convicted and sentenced by the Beitbridge Magistrates’ Court for driving a public vehicle under the influence of alcohol.
“The offence occurred on 26 July 2026 at around 1438 hours when Ndebele was driving a Toyota Quantum carrying 16 passengers along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road.
The offender was driving a Toyota Quantum with 16 passengers along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road. Police noticed the vehicle meandering from a distance and they stopped him at the roadblock,” the NPAZ said.
The authority said Ndebele was visibly intoxicated when he was ordered to disembark from the vehicle, after which a breathalyser test confirmed that he was driving under the influence of alcohol.
“The visibly drunk driver was ordered to disembark from the vehicle and a breathalyser test found that he was heavily intoxicated, with a blood alcohol level of 270mg per 100ml,” the NPAZ said.
The court heard that the alcohol concentration was more than three times the legal limit of 80mg per 100ml, demonstrating the seriousness of the offence.
In handing down the sentence, the court ruled that Ndebele deserved the maximum penalty allowed by law due to the circumstances surrounding the offence.
“The court held that the offender deserved the maximum penalty permitted by law. The court noted that he was driving a public service vehicle while carrying 16 passengers, thereby recklessly endangering their lives as well as those of other road users,” the NPAZ said.
The court further considered the extremely high level of intoxication recorded during the breathalyser test, which showed that Ndebele had a blood alcohol level of 270mg per 100ml.
The NPAZ warned motorists that there would be no tolerance for drivers who disregard road safety regulations and put lives at risk.
“The NPAZ warns drivers that there is zero tolerance for drunk driving and the flouting of road regulations. Offenders will face the full wrath of the law,” the authority said.
The prosecuting authority added that the criminal justice system had a responsibility to protect all road users from reckless drivers.
“The criminal justice system has a duty to protect all road users from reckless drivers,” the NPAZ said.
The conviction comes amid continued efforts by authorities to curb road carnage caused by reckless driving, particularly cases involving public service vehicles carrying passengers.
