Gold panners' killer driver fined

The driver of a truck that was hired to ferry some stolen gold ore at Geelong mine in West Nicholson and ran over two gold panners as he fled from police gunshots with headlights off has been fined.
Memory Ndlovu pleaded guilty to culpable homicide charges when he appeared at the Gwanda magistrates courts.

Ndlovu was fined $500 and barred from driving for the next six months .

The state outlined that on 10 March Ndlovu proceeded to the mine after being hired by Vusumuzi Moyo to ferry some gold ore.

Oblivious of the fact he had been hired to ferry stolen property, Ndlovu drove to Geelong and a group of twenty gold panners started loading the loot into the truck.

Ndlovu arrived in his truck in the early hours of Monday and the gang started loading the ore, but were disturbed by four police officers from the Support Unit who were guarding the mine. One of them fired shots into the air as the panners ran in different directions.

Ndlovu then drove the truck with its lights switched off to avoid being detected, but ran over Witness Moyo and Melusi Nkala who died on the spot while Dumolwenkosi Mlilo suffered a broken leg.

The masterminds of the deal Vusumuzi Moyo and Bien Mlilo are currently serving a four month jail term for theft of gold ore.

The two said they had been misled by Lawson Mubaiwa who claimed to amongst the officers guarding the mine when he was not.

Mubaiwa who demanded and accepted $480  bribe via mobile money transfer platform Ecocash was jailed three years for corruption.