Chiradza pays for wreckage left behind
JANA-MARI SMITH
A crash that killed three people in July 2015 and landed a Zimbabwean doctor behind bars for three and half years has come back to haunt him.
This week Yevai Chiradza, who is currently serving his sentence at the Walvis Bay prison, agreed to pay N$177 636.72 to Sonja Junius for damage to her car that was wrecked in the crash that killed her mother, aunt and cousin.
Chiradza made headlines early last year when a video on social media went viral, showing him driving recklessly and dangerously on the road between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo, often swerving into oncoming traffic and forcing others off the road.
It soon emerged that the doctor, who was put on forced leave shortly afterwards, was also being sought by the police for failing to appear before court on charges related to the 2015 crash.
It was announced that he was also under investigation for alleged theft of and abuse of addictive drugs.
The settlement agreement reached between Junius and Chiradza was made an order of the Windhoek High Court this week.
The agreement directs Chiradza to begin paying monthly instalments of N$3 000 as from 31 May 2020 until the full amount is settled.
The total amount is based on the pre-accident value of the Kia Rio vehicle, less the wreck value, tow-in costs and a debit note.
The settlement agreement further stipulates that Chiradza must contribute N$10 000 towards Junius’s legal fees, but otherwise, each party will pay their own costs.
Chiradza was found guilty on three counts of culpable homicide and a count of negligent driving by the Karibib Magistrate's Court in July 2018, and was sent to jail for an effective three years and six months.
The charges stemmed from the accident he was found to have caused on the Karibib-Usakos road in 2015.
Junius and her cousin, Johan Junius, were the only two survivors of the crash.
The crash claimed the lives of two sisters, Welmine Louw and Alet Junius, as well as Louw’s son, Konrad Louw.
A civil claim of N$600 000 was instituted against Chiradza by Welmine Louw’s husband, Konrad Louw, who lost his wife, only child and sister-in-law in the crash.
A crash that killed three people in July 2015 and landed a Zimbabwean doctor behind bars for three and half years has come back to haunt him.
This week Yevai Chiradza, who is currently serving his sentence at the Walvis Bay prison, agreed to pay N$177 636.72 to Sonja Junius for damage to her car that was wrecked in the crash that killed her mother, aunt and cousin.
Chiradza made headlines early last year when a video on social media went viral, showing him driving recklessly and dangerously on the road between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo, often swerving into oncoming traffic and forcing others off the road.
It soon emerged that the doctor, who was put on forced leave shortly afterwards, was also being sought by the police for failing to appear before court on charges related to the 2015 crash.
It was announced that he was also under investigation for alleged theft of and abuse of addictive drugs.
The settlement agreement reached between Junius and Chiradza was made an order of the Windhoek High Court this week.
The agreement directs Chiradza to begin paying monthly instalments of N$3 000 as from 31 May 2020 until the full amount is settled.
The total amount is based on the pre-accident value of the Kia Rio vehicle, less the wreck value, tow-in costs and a debit note.
The settlement agreement further stipulates that Chiradza must contribute N$10 000 towards Junius’s legal fees, but otherwise, each party will pay their own costs.
Chiradza was found guilty on three counts of culpable homicide and a count of negligent driving by the Karibib Magistrate's Court in July 2018, and was sent to jail for an effective three years and six months.
The charges stemmed from the accident he was found to have caused on the Karibib-Usakos road in 2015.
Junius and her cousin, Johan Junius, were the only two survivors of the crash.
The crash claimed the lives of two sisters, Welmine Louw and Alet Junius, as well as Louw’s son, Konrad Louw.
A civil claim of N$600 000 was instituted against Chiradza by Welmine Louw’s husband, Konrad Louw, who lost his wife, only child and sister-in-law in the crash.
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