KWEKWE Miners claiming title of Sherwood Block near Kwekwe have taken their fight to Midlands mining commissioner Wedzerai Dube accusing him of corruptly parcelling out mining claims in the province.
Businessman Robert Chipwanyira through his lawyers Gundu and Dube is urging chief mining commissioner Fredson Mabhena to investigate Dube, whom he accuses of graft.
Since a rare find of pure gold nuggets at Sherwood Block at a mine allegedly owned by Chipwanyira triggered a gold rush,Dube is alleged to have issued affidavits to Chipwanyira, Clifford Sibanda, Josphats Sibanda and Vongai Mupereri attesting the stretch belonged to each of them separately.
On the strength of these affidavits, Chipwanyira logged a High Court application, seeking to bar heavily-armed police and Zanu PF youths from entering the mine. Sibanda also on strength of an affidavit from Dube is alleged to have hired Zanu PF youths to secure the mine, and asked his lawyer Josinia Maupa to write to government arms, seeking to remove the police and others who had invaded the mine.
Mupereri and Josphats on the strength of Dubes affidavit gathered Zanu PF youths at the party district offices and reportedly promised them access to Sherwood Block to pan for gold.
Dube then submitted another affidavit to the High Court alleging the mine was State land and would never be allocated to anyone under normal circumstances.
He reportedly swore on oath that Chipwanyiras mine had overlapped into State land.
In a letter addressed to the Mines and Mining Development Secretary, Prince Mupazviriho, Chipwanyira accused Dube of gross breach of his duties, contempt of court and double dealing and called on the ministry to act on the mining commissioner.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
(Dube) alleges that he made a personal visit to claim E&S 15 Sherwood Block, Kwekwe, together with interested parties. This is far from the truth in that (Dube) never invited our client to the site. Instead, he went ahead and invited the police official without our knowledge or presence.
Such glaring misrepresentation amounts to contempt of court, wrote Chipwanyiras lawyers.
