Miner shot in the head in clash with police

One person was seriously injured after being shot in the head with a pistol while several others were injured when a group of artisanal miners clashed at Amaveni Shopping Centre in Kwekwe on Sunday evening.

Cars that were parked at the shopping centre were damaged including those belonging to another gang led by a Likwa Ncube.

The incident came barely a week after Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Owen Ncube condemned machete attacks in Kwekwe saying it was deterring investors

Police in Kwekwe confirmed the incident yesterday.

The police said Likwa, who drew a pistol and opened fire, was arrested, but immediately escaped from police custody after they failed to disarm him.

"We have launched a manhunt for (Likwa) Ncube who escaped from police custody after being initially arrested in connection with the violence that broke out on Sunday evening at Amaveni Shopping Centre," said police at Amaveni Police Station.

Ncube who leads a group of notorious artisanal miners, has a pending court case and is supposed to appear in court on May 10 for malicious damage to property after he allegedly led another clash with rival artisanal miners at Gaika Mine.

He is also out on bail in connection with a murder case, which occurred in 2016 in Kwekwe.

When The Herald news crew visited Amaveni Shopping Centre yesterday, several vehicles that were damaged during the fierce fight were still at the scene with the owners assisting police with investigations.

Witnesses said Ncube caused the violent clash at Amaveni Shopping Centre on Sunday evening that left people injured and property destroyed.

A witness, Mr Taurai Chigande said all hell broke loose when Ncube arrived at the shopping Centre and accused a member of the rival group of denying his members access to Gaika Mine.

Gaika Mine was recently opened under the Kwekwe Community Ownership Trust and there has been intermittent clashes among the rival artisanal miners operating at the mine since then.

Mr Chigande said a fight immediately erupted with the rival groups using machetes and iron bars to attack each other.

"They used machetes to attack each other.

"It was a fierce fight that brought business at the shopping centre to a halt as the rival groups embarked in running battles.

"Likwa (Ncube) and his gang were forced to flee abandoning their cars.

"The cars were then attacked by a machete-wielding rival gang. They also damaged other cars that were parked," he said.

Another witness, Ms Laizer Nyoni, a bar lady at the shopping centre said she escaped death by a whisker after one of the gang members jumped into the counter.

"Stones and machetes were thrown towards me, but somehow, I managed to escape unhurt.

"There were gunshots as well," she said.

Ms Nyoni said the fierce fight lasted about an hour and was only stopped by the police who later came and fired warning shots.

"Some of the injured were taken to Kwekwe General Hospital while Lamulani Moyo who was shot in the head during the fight was rushed to Parirenyatwa Hospital where he is said to be in a serious condition," she said.

Acting police spokesperson for Midlands province Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende yesterday declined to comment saying she was still to get the details of the fight.