Dexter Nduna, two others acquitted of illegally prospecting for gold

Former Zanu-PF Chegutu Member of Parliament, Dexter Nduna, along with two co-accused individuals, has been acquitted of charges related to illegal prospecting for minerals without a license. The verdict was delivered by Magistrate Stanley Mambanje at Chinhoyi Court Complex. The judge found the trio not guilty, citing insufficient evidence to support the charges under section 368 of the Mines and Minerals Act.

The case, which began in 2019, alleged that Nduna, former police superintendent Wonder Chisikwa, and gold miner Tawanda Marufu were involved in prospecting activities without proper authorization. The magistrate emphasized the lack of scientific or traditional examination of mineral content in the soil collected by the accused, crucial for proving the offense.

Initially charged alongside others including then Zanu-PF youth leader Vengai Musengi and Tatenda Gwinji, the case eventually focused solely on Nduna, Chisikwa, and Marufu, with the rest cleared of any wrongdoing earlier.

Nduna, known for his previous acquittal in a separate firearms case in 2018, had argued lawful cause for discharging a firearm during Zanu-PF primary elections, asserting it was for self-protection amid election-related violence.

The recent acquittal underscores challenges in prosecuting such cases without robust evidence, despite initial allegations linking the accused to illegal mineral extraction plans at a local company's waste deposit site.