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“The incident happened at around 8pm on Wednesday night.
“Police who were doing patrols in the area had left when the 11 panners went to a panning site at Rosecommon Estate.

“Eight of the panners went inside a tunnel about 10 metres deep. Suddenly, the tunnel collapsed and trapped all the eight inside,” he said.
Efforts by their three colleagues to save them were fruitless and they reported the matter to police.
“Police attended the scene, but could not retrieve the bodies that night.

“They only managed to retrieve them the following day with the assistance of local villagers. The eight bodies were taken to Chimanimani Hospital mortuary for post-mortem.
“The panners are involved in a cat-and-mouse game with the police as they take advantage of the rugged terrain to hide.
“We are not sure of the actual figures of people camped at Rosecommon and Tarka Estates, but we will continue maintaining a heavy presence,” said Insp Chabata.

Last month, police in Chipinge arrested 18 illegal panners, who were operating in Tarka Forest and along the banks of Nyabamba River in Chimanimani.
Officer Commanding Chipinge District, Chief Superintendent Ndofandaedza Jaboon, said the inaccessibility of the Chiadzwa diamond fields had seen a steady increase in the number of panners flocking the Chimanimani alluvial gold-rich areas.

The 18, who were arrested were from the nearby Ngorima area in Chimanimani, Musikavanhu area in Chipinge, a few from Gaza high-density suburb in Chipinge, one from Penhalonga and there was also one Mozambican.

The 18, Munyaradzi Mandirahwa (19), Tichaona Mlile (29), Charles Muyambo (39), Shepherd Muhamba (30), Artwell Muteranduwa (32), Susten Greeck (23), Leonard Ziswa (18), David Mazanhi (38), Brighton Chimukiche (30), Artwell Marinyame (20), Jaison Kaguro (39), Alec Sithole (32), Blessing Mutengwa (19), Lameck Sibanda (42), Shepherd Wine (20), Justice Tizirai (34), Promise Sigauke (22) and Mozambican Mathew Mandlazi were slapped with two-year jail terms for contravening Section 368 (2) of the Mines and Minerals Act.

They appeared before Chipinge magistrate Mr Gapara.
The panners have caused massive land degradation in the forestry area.

“We have discovered that since the Chiadzwa area has become inaccessible to most of the panners, gold deposits in Chimanimani have become a natural alternative for them.
“There has been a steady increase of panners in the area and as we speak panners have invaded the whole area,” said Chief Supt Jaboon.
He said picks, shovels, hoes, iron bars and machetes were recovered during the raid.