A 38-year-old woman from Harare has been sentenced to nine months in prison after being convicted of culpable homicide for causing a fatal road accident while driving without a licence.

Martha Tongwe appeared before the Mbare Magistrates' Court where she was handed a 12-month sentence with three months suspended on condition of good behaviour for the next five years.

The court heard that on an afternoon in June 2025 Tongwe was behind the wheel of a Honda CRV along Cabs Road in Budiriro 4 when she lost control of the vehicle and struck a pedestrian standing by the roadside.

The victim sustained severe head injuries and was rushed to Sally Mugabe Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Magistrates found that Tongwe was driving at an excessive speed despite being unlicensed failed to keep a proper lookout on the road and did not act reasonably when the accident became imminent.

In delivering judgment, the court ruled that her negligence directly caused the pedestrian's death and emphasised the seriousness of driving without a licence.