Dead panners were duped

News
TWO gold panners that were crushed to death by their getaway truck in the early hours of Monday morning at Geelong Mine in West Nicholson met their fate after being duped by a man who claimed to be one of the security guards who guarded the mine.

TWO gold panners that were crushed to death by their getaway truck in the early hours of Monday morning at Geelong Mine in West Nicholson met their fate after being duped by a man who claimed to be one of the security guards who guarded the mine.

OWN CORRESPONDENT

Witness Moyo (26) of Mathabisa village and Melusi Nkala (18) of Vokola in Insiza district died on the spot when they were run over by the truck as they fled from the scene after police found them loading stolen gold ore.

The revelations were made by Vusumuzi Moyo (29), Bien Mlilo (32) and Memory Ndlovu (29) when they appeared before Gwanda magistrate Sheila Nazombe yesterday facing charges of prospecting for minerals without a licence or permit or alternatively theft of gold ore.

They denied prospecting for gold, but pleaded guilty to charges of theft of gold ore and are set to be sentenced today.

The State withdrew both charges against Ndlovu saying he had only been hired to ferry the gold ore, but he is set to appear in court soon facing two counts of culpable homicide.

In his warned and cautioned statement, Moyo indicated that he was approached by Lawson Mubaiwa who claimed to be a security guard at the mine and indicated to him that there was some gold ore underground.

Mubaiwa demanded $600 from Moyo if he wanted the ore. He received $480, but he advised him not to bring panners from Gwanda.

The State alleged that Moyo then phoned Mlilo, who was in his home area of Vokola to bring 25 people.

Mlilo then went to Geelong Mine with the gold panners who proceeded to the shaft and removed the gold ore that was underground and took it to a nearby gravel road awaiting transport.

Ndlovu arrived in his truck 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 Moyo and Nkala who died on the spot while Mlilo’s brother Dumolwenkosi suffered a broken leg.