JOURNALIST and public relations practitioner Augustine Dalubuhle Moyo has died. He was 38. Moyo died Monday evening after being involved in a freak accident at Pennywise Shopping Centre in Eastlea.
Zim Morning Post understands that Moyo died at Baines Intercare after he succumbed to injuries sustained in a scuffle between him and a lady friend only identified as Sandra.
“He was having drinks by Pennywise with a group of friends and at around 8pm, he had a scuffle with one of the friends, a lady called Sandra.
“She tried to drive off but Augustine appeared livid and clinged to the car tussling for the stirring (wheel), that is when the lady lost control of the car and rammed into a tree squashing Augustine, he was rushed to Baines (Intercare),” narrated a source who attended to the scene.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said Moyo was run over by a car being driven by his girlfriend.
“The matter involving the death of Augustine Moyo is being investigated by Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Homicide. He died in the early hours of 26 May 2020 after being run over by his girlfriend with a car at a shopping centre in Eastlea, Harare following a dispute,” he said.
Zimbabwe Institute of Public Relations expressed their condolences.
“ZIPR and the entire public relations fraternity offers our deepest commiseration on the passing of Augustine Moyo, an affable journalist and peer.”
A family member who declined to be named said they are waiting for the family spokesperson to announce the burial arrangements.
“We cannot speak now, we are waiting for the family spokesperson and we are also not sure yet about the burial arrangements.”
The Herald visited Eastlea Shopping Centre yesterday where one of the people Mr Taurai Matoropito narrated how the accident allegedly happened.
“I was at the shopping centre when my friend Bonface called me saying that there was some noise coming from one of the vehicles parked at the centre. We at first argued about going to where the car, a Honda Fit was parked.
“From where we were standing, we could see that a man was quarrelling with a female, who was behind the wheel. The woman suddenly shouted for help and we decided to advance, at the same time shouting for them to stop fighting,” Matoropito said.
He said at that moment, the woman drove the car at high speed, while they were still fighting.
“We saw the woman driving off at high speed. At that moment, the man’s legs were swinging in the air, while the greater part of his body was inside the car.
“I suspect that they continued wrestling on the steering wheel, and within some seconds, we heard a loud bang that is when we realised that the Honda fit had smashed into a Jacaranda tree. We rushed to the scene and we found the man lying on the ground, wriggling and groaning.
He said they managed to calm him down and assured him that help was coming soon.
“We advised him to remain calm and assured him that help was coming. The woman disembarked from the vehicle and came to where the man was lying. She made some calls and after some minutes another man arrived.
Zim Morning Post heard that Moyo suffered a broken pelvis and suspected internal bleeding.
The lady also sustained injuries and was treated and discharged on the same night.
Moyo trained as a journalist at UMAA Institute and worked at the Sunday Mail where he rose through the ranks to Business editor of the weekly.
He then joined Zimbabwe National Roads Authority (Zinara) as a corporate communications executive before resigning on December 17 2019 to pursue other interests.
His body is expected to be ferried to Marondera on Tuesday evening for burial on Wednesday. Mourners are gathered at his Windsor Park house in the same town. He is survived by his wife Chantelle and three children.
Police spokesperson Paul Nyati could not be reached for comment at the time of writing.
However, it is understood the lady in question could face culpable homicide charges considering the manner of Moyo’s death.-zimpost
