Bus driver banned for life and jailed after drink driving with 50 passengers
A Bulawayo bus driver has been banned for life from driving public service vehicles and sentenced to 12 months in prison after he was caught driving a bus carrying 50 passengers while under the influence of alcohol.
The court ruled that his actions placed the lives of his passengers and other road users at serious risk, leading to a lifetime ban from operating commuter omnibuses and heavy motor vehicles.
Chronicle reports that Newtan Marova (47), of Nkulumane, appeared before Plumtree Provincial Magistrate Busani Sibanda on Tuesday, 28 July 2026, after pleading guilty to driving with a prohibited concentration of alcohol in his blood in contravention of Section 54(2) of the Road Traffic Act [Chapter 13:11].
The court sentenced him to 12 months’ imprisonment. Marova was also permanently disqualified from driving commuter omnibuses and heavy motor vehicles. In addition, he was banned from driving any other class of motor vehicle for one year and ordered to surrender his driver’s licence for immediate cancellation.
While passing sentence, Magistrate Sibanda said the offence was particularly serious because the driver had been transporting dozens of passengers.
“What makes the offender’s case particularly serious is that he was driving a bus carrying 50 passengers. One can only imagine the risk to which he exposed all these lives.”
The magistrate added: “He also endangered the lives of other road users. His conduct demonstrated a complete disregard for the responsibility expected of skilled drivers. These circumstances required him to be removed from our roads.”
The court said a deterrent sentence was necessary to discourage motorists from driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Magistrate Sibanda said: “There is a need to punish this kind of conduct. The offender was careless, to say the least, for failing to act as a responsible member of society. The courts expect drivers to refrain from driving when under the influence of alcohol or drugs.”
Prosecutor Fezile Mpofu told the court that the incident occurred on 19 June 2026 at about 4:30am. Marova was driving an AVM bus carrying 50 passengers along the Bulawayo-Solusi Road towards Solusi when police officers stopped him at a roadblock near the 39km peg after becoming suspicious of his behaviour.
A breathalyser test conducted using an AT9000 device allegedly recorded an alcohol concentration of 149mg per 100ml of blood.
Under Zimbabwean law, public service vehicle drivers must have 0mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, while the legal limit for ordinary motorists is less than 80mg per 100ml.
In mitigation, Marova apologised for his actions and asked the court to show leniency. He said he was a first-time offender and the father of two children aged six and 10.
“Your Worship, I am truly sorry for driving under the influence of alcohol and putting the lives of my passengers at risk.”
The court nevertheless imposed a custodial sentence and lifetime driving ban, citing the danger posed to passengers and other road users. *_-iHarare_*
