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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
A MEMBER of a gang of illegal gold panners that killed a fellow gold panner at Sabi Gold Mine in Zvishavane in 2017, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Both Moyo (34) who was the ring leader of a 63-member gang of illegal gold panners that murdered Mr Brian Bushe (28), was convicted of murder with actual intent by Bulawayo High Court Judge Justice Christopher Dube-Banda on circuit in Gweru.

Moyo and his gang assaulted and stabbed Mr Bushe with knives, spears and machetes all over the body. In a bid to escape the barrage of attacks, Mr Bushe dived into a dam but the gang threw explosives into the dam aimed at him before running away.

The other gang members are still at large.

Mr Bushe’s battered body was retrieved from the dam by the police leading to the arrest of Moyo.

Prosecutor Mr Mandla Ndlovu told the court that on April 27, 2017 at around 7pm, Moyo was going to Sabi gold mine to pan for gold with his gang members when they met Mr Bushe.

Moyo then grabbed Mr Bushe and reminded him of an incident when he reported him to the police for an assault.

Moyo and his gang then started assaulting Mr Bushe using an assortment of weapons.

Mr Bushe broke free but the gang gave chase while pelting him with stones which hit him on the head and back.

Mr Mandla said Mr Bushe dived into a dam to escape the attacks. He said Moyo and his gang threw explosives into the dam aimed at Mr Bushe.

A report was made to the police who later retrieved Mr Bushe’s body from the dam.

The post-mortem report stated that Mr Bushe’s cause of death was asphyxia, drowning, head injury, assault and sub-arachnoid haemorrhage.

After his arrest, Moyo fled to South Africa when he was granted bail.

He was re-arrested when he returned and has been in custody for the past three years.

Moyo is also facing an attempted murder charge.