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Tsvangirai crash driver in court | Tsvangirai crash driver in court |
(40 minutes later) | |
The lorry driver involved in the road collision that killed Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's wife, Susan, is due in court. | The lorry driver involved in the road collision that killed Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's wife, Susan, is due in court. |
Chinoona Mwanda, 35, will plead not guilty to a charge of culpable homicide over Friday's crash, his lawyer said. | Chinoona Mwanda, 35, will plead not guilty to a charge of culpable homicide over Friday's crash, his lawyer said. |
Chris Mhike said his client had not been negligent and the poor state of the road was to blame. | Chris Mhike said his client had not been negligent and the poor state of the road was to blame. |
Mr Tsvangirai has returned to Zimbabwe to prepare his wife's funeral after undergoing treatment in Botswana. | Mr Tsvangirai has returned to Zimbabwe to prepare his wife's funeral after undergoing treatment in Botswana. |
"I'm feeling fine," he told reporters as he left Harare's international airport. However, his face remains swollen. | |
His spokesman said that most of the couple's six children had also returned to the country, reports the AFP news agency. | |
Many Zimbabweans are suspicious about 50-year-old Mrs Tsvangirai's death, given the past acrimony between Mr Tsvangirai and President Robert Mugabe. | |
Mr Mwanda is very much distressed and the publicity is putting him under aggravated pressure Chris MhikeLawyer Rumours fly after Tsvangirai crash | Mr Mwanda is very much distressed and the publicity is putting him under aggravated pressure Chris MhikeLawyer Rumours fly after Tsvangirai crash |
Officials from Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change say they have seen nothing to suggest foul play, however they want to carry out their own investigation of the incident. | Officials from Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change say they have seen nothing to suggest foul play, however they want to carry out their own investigation of the incident. |
Zimbabwe journalist Brian Hungwe says it is hoped the outcome of the driver's case will lay to rest many unanswered questions. | Zimbabwe journalist Brian Hungwe says it is hoped the outcome of the driver's case will lay to rest many unanswered questions. |
Mr Mwanda is due to appear at a magistrates' court in the town of Chivu in the province of Mashonaland East, about 200km (124 miles) south-east of Harare. | Mr Mwanda is due to appear at a magistrates' court in the town of Chivu in the province of Mashonaland East, about 200km (124 miles) south-east of Harare. |
Lawyer Mr Mhike said: "[Mr Mwanda is] pleading not guilty essentially on the basis that he was not in any way negligent. He's attributing the cause of the accident to the poor state of the road. | Lawyer Mr Mhike said: "[Mr Mwanda is] pleading not guilty essentially on the basis that he was not in any way negligent. He's attributing the cause of the accident to the poor state of the road. |
"Any other driver driving on that patch of road would have more than likely ended up in the situation that this driver ended up in." | "Any other driver driving on that patch of road would have more than likely ended up in the situation that this driver ended up in." |
He added: "[Mr Mwanda is] very much distressed and now the publicity which the story is receiving is putting him under aggravated pressure." | He added: "[Mr Mwanda is] very much distressed and now the publicity which the story is receiving is putting him under aggravated pressure." |
Rally | Rally |
Thousands of people from the townships of Harare have been walking long distances to the prime minister's home in Strathaven, a western suburb of the capital, to pay their respects to Mrs Tsvangirai. | Thousands of people from the townships of Harare have been walking long distances to the prime minister's home in Strathaven, a western suburb of the capital, to pay their respects to Mrs Tsvangirai. |
Mr Tsvangirai travelled to Botswana on Saturday for medical care and rest | Mr Tsvangirai travelled to Botswana on Saturday for medical care and rest |
Brian Hugwe says a rally is to be held at Glamis Stadium in Harare on Tuesday to pay tribute to Mrs Tsvangirai on the eve of her burial in Buhera. | Brian Hugwe says a rally is to be held at Glamis Stadium in Harare on Tuesday to pay tribute to Mrs Tsvangirai on the eve of her burial in Buhera. |
Mr Tsvangirai, who had previously spent time in Botswana while in opposition, flew there on Saturday for medical tests and rest after leaving a private clinic in Harare, MDC officials said. | Mr Tsvangirai, who had previously spent time in Botswana while in opposition, flew there on Saturday for medical tests and rest after leaving a private clinic in Harare, MDC officials said. |
He was treated for head and neck injuries from Friday's crash at the hospital in the capital. | He was treated for head and neck injuries from Friday's crash at the hospital in the capital. |
Mr Tsvangirai's long-time political rival President Mugabe and his wife Grace visited the MDC leader's bedside on Friday evening. | |
The Tsvangirais were travelling to Buhera when the crash occurred near Beatrice on Friday afternoon. | |
Police have said the lorry crossed into the lane in which the prime minister's 4x4 was travelling and side-swiped the vehicle, causing it to roll over three times. | Police have said the lorry crossed into the lane in which the prime minister's 4x4 was travelling and side-swiped the vehicle, causing it to roll over three times. |
The British foreign ministry said the truck was part of an aid project jointly funded by the US and UK and that the crash appeared to be "a genuine accident". | The British foreign ministry said the truck was part of an aid project jointly funded by the US and UK and that the crash appeared to be "a genuine accident". |
The collision came two days after Mr Tsvangirai delivered his maiden speech to parliament after being sworn in as prime minister in Zimbabwe's power-sharing government. | The collision came two days after Mr Tsvangirai delivered his maiden speech to parliament after being sworn in as prime minister in Zimbabwe's power-sharing government. |
But relations between the MDC and Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party remain tense, with MDC ministerial nominee Roy Bennett still in custody, accused of links to an alleged plot to kill Mr Mugabe. | But relations between the MDC and Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party remain tense, with MDC ministerial nominee Roy Bennett still in custody, accused of links to an alleged plot to kill Mr Mugabe. |