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Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Court Reporter

A GANG of machete-wielding men pounced on a gold mine at Inyathi in Matabeleland North where they allegedly attacked workers before they went away with half a tonne of gold ore.

Three of the suspects have since been arrested and they appeared in court yesterday.

Tawanda Msipa (21), Sithemba Ndlovu (19) and Washington Phiri (22) appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Shepherd Munjanja facing robbery and illegal possession of gold ore. They were denied bail and remanded to January 13.

The prosecutor Mr Leonard Chile said on December 3 last year, the three accused persons allegedly ganged up with their accomplices who are still at large and armed themselves with machetes before they went to Impi East Mine in Inyathi.

They allegedly attacked the mine employees using machetes and stones. “When they arrived at Impi East Mine, the accused persons found mine workers busy at work and started attacking them using machetes and stones,” said Mr Chile.

The court heard that the mine workers fled in different directions and the accused persons and their accomplices looted a half a tonne of gold ore. They loaded the consignment into their car and sped off.

A report was made to the police leading to the trio’s arrest. The other unidentified accomplices are still at large. Police also recovered the accused persons’ car loaded with some of the stolen gold ore.

Mr Chile opposed bail for the three accused persons, saying there was no guarantee that if released on bail, they would not abscond due to the gravity of the matter including the fact that their accomplices are still at large.

“The State is opposed to bail because there is overwhelming evidence against the accused persons who have been involved in the armed robbery. Considering that the other suspects are still at large, there is a possibility that if released on bail, they are likely to join their accomplices and jeopardise the investigations,” he said.

“Due to a strong prima facie against the accused persons, there is a likelihood of abscondment. They are also likely to commit similar offences since the use of machetes in armed robbery cases of gold ore is now an issue of concern in the country.” 

On Sunday, police shot and killed a gold panner while arresting five others who had charged at them armed with machetes.

Last week, police in Gweru arrested six more members of a machete-wielding gang following a bloody shootout, for allegedly killing an on-duty police officer at Good Hope Mine in Battlefields near Kadoma. 

The mostly young suspects include a 14-year-old boy. The latest arrests brought to nine the arrests made following that of three suspects, Munyaradzi Chari (43), Lyton Tshuma (18) and Obvious Mawire (21) on January 2. 

Constable Wonder Hokoyo was killed on December 28 while his colleague Constable Kamhuka is fighting for life at Kadoma General Hospital after gold panners attacked them at Good Hope Mine.

Recently, two men allegedly linked to a gang of gold panners who went on a rampage attacking other miners in an alleged tribal war that resulted in the death of one victim in Inyathi, Bubi district, Matabeleland North were released on $300 bail each by the High Court.

Nkosimayibongwe Sibanda (30) of Sauerstown suburb in Bulawayo and Andrew Sibanda (19) of Hojen village in Nkayi were allegedly part of about 50 artisanal miners who armed themselves with machetes and axes and went on a rampage, attacking other miners. 

Some of the victims who were severely assaulted sustained serious injuries. Misheck Sibanda resultantly died upon admission to Mpilo Central Hospital. 

The two accused persons were allegedly part of a marauding gang of gold panners armed with an assortment of weapons which included machetes, stones and axes.

The gang was on a witch-hunt for Shona-speaking people they accused of invading their gold rich area.

As part of their mission, they left Dodolo Mine in Inyathi and went to Marumisa Mine before proceeding to Merlyn North Mine in the same area where they found Misheck going about his business.

They pounced on him saying he was one of their targets. Nkosimayibongwe together with one accomplice identified as Sampro who is still at large, were the first to strike Misheck with stones.

When the now-deceased tried to flee, Andrew struck him on the head and he bled profusely before he collapsed.

The accused persons were restrained by the mine manager from continuing with the attack.  Misheck was taken to Mpilo Central Hospital where he later succumbed to the injuries. 

Police Commissioner General Godwin Matanga recently issued a stern warning to the machete terror gangs that the law will catch up with them. He said police will soon issue orders to prohibit carrying of dangerous weapons in the gold mining sites. — @mashnets