Friday, 4 April 2025

MUKOROKOZA SHOT DEAD AT CHINESE MINE

A fatal shooting occurred in the gold-rich Premier area, just outside Mutare, yesterday (Thursday) morning, leading to the death of an artisanal miner at the hands of a security guard.

The incident sparked widespread unrest, with irate locals descending on the Sino Africa Hui Jin Holding premises, unleashing violent protests.

By the time our news crew arrived at the scene, police had intervened to restore order, although tensions remained deep among the local community.

After collecting the deceased’s body, police details were locked in a 30-minute closed-door meeting with the Chinese mine owners at their premises.

Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the shooting incident, but referred further questions to his superior, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, who was not immediately available for a comment.

The deceased’s identity could not be disclosed as his next of kin was yet to be notified at the time of publication.

Efforts to also get a comment from Sino Africa Hui Jin Holdings were fruitless as the most senior employee — only identified as Nyasha — was reluctant to engage the media citing pressing work commitments.

“I am too busy to talk to you,” he said repeatedly when requested to grant The Manica Post an interview over the incident.

Preliminary investigations by The Manica Post revealed that the security guard responsible for the fatal shooting, along with the mine manager, were taken to hospital for treatment after receiving mob justice by angry locals during the chaos at the company premises.

One of the protesters, Mr Samuel Mutidzawanda said the community was fed up with the trigger-happy security guards who think they are above the law.

He said the mining company must take responsibility for the actions of its employees, and ensure that justice is served.

“We demand answers and accountability for the senseless killing of our community member. This is unacceptable. This is not the first time that we have witnessed an unwarranted loss of life at this mine. This should come to a stop. We will revolt against their presence here because one can only imagine if the deceased was from their family,” he said.

His sentiments were echoed by fellow protesters, who called for swift action against those responsible.

“We are aware that there was a grudge between the security guard and the shot artisanal miner. In fact, the late artisanal miner was in the midst of negotiating with other guards so that he would pay a small amount of money to be allowed into the mining area and do his work. This is when the trigger-happy security guard came and started arguing with the deceased, leading to the fatal shooting. However, we really cannot condone the needless use of weapons to kill defenceless people in our peaceful community and country. This was needless loss of life,” said another protester, Mrs Miriam Sithole. Manica Post

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