Gold panner murdered in Kwekwe

AN ARTISANAL miner from Zhombe died, while two of his colleagues were admitted in hospital with multiple injuries after they clashed with a rival group last week over proceeds from a gold deal.

The two gangs attacked each other with machetes at Kwekwe’s Long-Distance Bus Terminus.

Acting police spokesperson for Midlands province Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende said she was yet to get the details of the incident.

The now deceased has been identified as Comment Moyo (26) of Ngondoma Village, Zhombe, under Chief Samambwa.

According to witnesses, travellers and vendors at the terminus scurried for cover when the two groups of artisanal miners clashed while accusing each other of insincerity in the manner in which they shared the proceeds from their mining activities.

“The now deceased, Mr Comment Moyo, was at the terminus together with his colleagues looking for a bus to go back to Zhombe after they shared the proceeds from their mining activities with another group,” said Mr Aaron Nhete, who witnessed the incident.

“Members of a rival group then arrived at the terminus and started accusing Mr Moyo and his colleagues of trying to flee.”

Mr Nhete said the rival groups started fighting and machetes were produced in public.

“It was a fierce clash as machetes flew in front of a terrified travelling community,” he said.

“Everyone scurried for cover, with some stampeding into parked buses and commuter omnibuses.”

“He was then attacked all over the body and died on the spot,” he said.

ZANU-PF Midlands provincial spokesperson Cde Conerlious Mupereri yesterday dismissed social media reports that the fight which claimed Mr Moyo’s life was politically motivated.