By staff reporter

The Mutare City council vehicle veered off the road yesterday, killing one person at the spot and two others died upon admission at Mutare provincial hospital.

Around 1100hrs, the Mutare city council tow vehicle chased a high roof hiace kombi along Mutare Chimanimani road.

Eyewitnesses say that the vehicle chased the kombi that had abducted one of the council employees on duty. It is not clear why the male employee was abducted.

“The municipal police operatives at Musika area quarreled with the kombi guys thus leading to the kombi guys forcing one of the police officers into the kombi, speeding away”, said an eye witness.

Another source notes that a worker got into the kombi that the municipal police had impounded and asked the driver to lead to the municipal police depot. The driver is said to, instead of heading to the police depot, sped off along Chimanimani road leading to municipal vehicle number 56 chasing the kombi to rescue the municipal worker.

The car veered off the road just a few kilometres before the toll gate towards 22miles peg on Mutare-Masvingo road.

Municipal police officer died on the spot while others were said to be seriously injured and were pronounced dead shortly after admission to the Mutare provincial hospital.

Around 1600hrs, the kombi that had been chased was detained at Sakubva Musika and many people surrounded it making noise stopping the driver from getting down from the kombi.

However, instead of sympathizing, some were saying it was God’s punishment because the police officers were very rude to vendors and motorists.

Others were questioning the wisdom of the deceased trapped in a death trap in an area outside their jurisdiction.

The vehicle had been driven far away out of town when it was involved in an accident.