Mutare man arrested for erecting illegal “tollgate”

A MUTARE man, Padina Dzumbira, who created an illegal by-pass on his farm opposite the 22 Miles tollgate has appeared in court facing charges of contravening sections of the law governing tollgates.

Dzumbira appeared before Mutare magistrate Ms Perseverance Makala yesterday charged with contravening section 3A (3) of Statutory Instrument 250/21 of the Toll Road (National Road Network) (Amendment) and was remanded out of custody to 10 March 2023.

This addition to toll gate rules bars the use of a private bypass road falling within 1km of a tollgate unless authorised by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development.

No one is allowed to collect toll fees on any road within 1km from a tolling point.

The Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) saw drivers by-passing the 22 Miles tollgate on the farm road and reported Dzumbira to the police.

The 22 Miles acting tollgate supervisor Charedza Majedera last year saw Dzumbira allowing vehicles to bypass the tollgate using his private road and called in the Zinara risk and loss control department to set up surveillance cameras to record evidence.

“Analyses made on the video footages obtained from the surveillance cameras on October 14, 2022, October 17, 2022, and October 25, 2022 show classes of motor vehicles bypassing the tollgate and passing through the accused’s homestead,” reads part of the State’s outline.

From the video footages, Zinara was allegedly prejudiced of US$172 or equivalent in local currency value and nothing was recovered.

Ms Sharon Chibvongodze prosecuted. – The Herald.