Chillmaster Banned from Driving for Nine Months
Zimdancehall artist Kudakwashe Gift Hombarume, known as Chillmaster, has been banned from driving for nine months after a review of his sentencing.
According to the Herald, this decision was made by a magistrate in Mbare, following an order from Judge President Mary Zimba-Dube, who identified significant issues with the original ruling.
The incident occurred on April 9, 2025, when Chillmaster, driving without a license, lost control of his vehicle on New Chitungwiza Road. He struck pedestrian Custon Charumbira, who died at the scene.
The 24-year-old admitted to speeding, being inattentive, and failing to control his car.
In May, he was fined $200 for driving without a license and given a suspended two-year prison sentence for culpable homicide, with conditions that included completing 420 hours of community service at Stoneridge Primary School.
However, Judge Dube ruled that the original sentence was too lenient.
She stated that Chillmaster’s actions were not just ordinary negligence, but showed gross recklessness. At the time of the crash, he was driving between 80 and 100 km/h in a 60 km/h zone and only stopped 67 meters after hitting Charumbira.
Part of the reason for the lighter sentence was the victim’s family’s request for leniency, as they mentioned that Chillmaster had been providing them with financial support since the accident, even offering livestock for traditional rituals.
Despite acknowledging this, Judge Dube emphasized that it could not lessen the severity of the crime.
She criticized the magistrate for failing to impose a driving ban, which is mandatory in cases of fatal accidents caused by drivers.
She stressed the importance of keeping reckless drivers off the road to protect the public and uphold traffic laws.
