News / Regional
Eleven gold panners in court over murder
20 May 2014 at 05:02hrs | Views
Eleven illegal gold panners from Hope Fountain near Bulawayo Monday appeared in court charged with murder after they allegedly fatally assaulted an intruder who wanted to pan for gold in their mine shaft last Wednesday night.
A fight broke out when the 11 panners, known as amakorokoza, found four men, who included the now deceased, Langton Sibanda (21), mining illegally at their Six Nya mine.
Godknows Nzombe, Luwen Takaedza, Lungisani Sibanda, Gift Ticharima, Muchakagara Zisengwe, Clifford Gudo, Nomore Mike, Maxwell Mutudza, Caleb Zisengwe and Denis Mudlozera (ages not given) appeared before Magistrate Sibongile Msipa at the Bulawayo Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with murder.
They were represented by lawyer Coaster Dube, who told the court that it was unfair that the 11 had been in custody since last Thursday and only appeared in court yesterday.
It is the state's case that on May 14, Langton in the company of his four colleagues Fundani Sibanda, Obert Ncube, Thembinkosi Tshuma and Kholwani Fuzwayo went to Six Nya mine with the intention of illegally panning gold as the owners of the mine were not present.
On arrival at the mine, Langton went inside the mine shaft while Tshuma and Fuzwayo remained outside the mine on sentry.
At around 2100hrs, the 11 owners arrived unexpectedly to check on security at the site.
The two intruders who were guarding outside ran away leaving Langton, Obert and Fundani inside the shaft.
The mine owners ordered Langton to come out of the mine.
They surrounded the entrance armed with hoe handles, iron bars and wire ready to attack.
Obert came out first and as he reached the entrance he was attacked from all angles. Fundani followed and he was attacked similarly.
The pair was tied together with wire so they could not escape.
When Langton reached the entry he was assaulted and he fell back into the mine which was 25 meters deep.
Three men went down to the mine to fetch him, they tied him with a rope and pulled him out.
He sustained serious injuries and died while they carried him to the mine compound. A report was then made to the police leading to their arrest.
The 11 were remanded in custody to June 2 2014.
A fight broke out when the 11 panners, known as amakorokoza, found four men, who included the now deceased, Langton Sibanda (21), mining illegally at their Six Nya mine.
Godknows Nzombe, Luwen Takaedza, Lungisani Sibanda, Gift Ticharima, Muchakagara Zisengwe, Clifford Gudo, Nomore Mike, Maxwell Mutudza, Caleb Zisengwe and Denis Mudlozera (ages not given) appeared before Magistrate Sibongile Msipa at the Bulawayo Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with murder.
They were represented by lawyer Coaster Dube, who told the court that it was unfair that the 11 had been in custody since last Thursday and only appeared in court yesterday.
It is the state's case that on May 14, Langton in the company of his four colleagues Fundani Sibanda, Obert Ncube, Thembinkosi Tshuma and Kholwani Fuzwayo went to Six Nya mine with the intention of illegally panning gold as the owners of the mine were not present.
On arrival at the mine, Langton went inside the mine shaft while Tshuma and Fuzwayo remained outside the mine on sentry.
At around 2100hrs, the 11 owners arrived unexpectedly to check on security at the site.
The two intruders who were guarding outside ran away leaving Langton, Obert and Fundani inside the shaft.
They surrounded the entrance armed with hoe handles, iron bars and wire ready to attack.
Obert came out first and as he reached the entrance he was attacked from all angles. Fundani followed and he was attacked similarly.
The pair was tied together with wire so they could not escape.
When Langton reached the entry he was assaulted and he fell back into the mine which was 25 meters deep.
Three men went down to the mine to fetch him, they tied him with a rope and pulled him out.
He sustained serious injuries and died while they carried him to the mine compound. A report was then made to the police leading to their arrest.
The 11 were remanded in custody to June 2 2014.
Source - The Zim Mail
