TEMPERS reportedly flared between Marange villagers and security guards hired by the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) following the recent discovery of a decomposing human body in the Marange diamonds fields.
BY KENNETH NYANGANI
Tafadzwa Mavhiza’s body was reportedly recovered from the Matsanga area, where Marange Resources used to own a concession, amid claims he was fatally shot by ZCDC guards on October 20.
Marange Development Trust (MDT) director Malvern Mudiwa blamed ZCDC guards for the shooting incident.
“The person who was shot is from Matipedza village in Marange. At the time of the shooting, he was in the company of fellow illegal miners John Phiri, Lovemore Makarichi, both from Harare, and Luke Machote from Masvingo. The incident happened at around midnight,” he said. “This all happened on the 20th of this month and his body was found a few days later. They were running away from ZCDC guards and he was shot dead as his three colleagues fled the scene, leaving him behind since they were not from Marange,” Mudiwa said.
“However, last week, officials from the Zimbabwe Consolidation Diamond Company reportedly found a decomposed body and currently it is at the Mutare General Hospital mortuary.”
Mudiwa urged the guards to arrest suspected illegal miners instead of using live ammunition.
“There is no justification to kill a person. We are appealing for a full investigation into the matter and strongly condemn the incident,” he said. Mudiwa urged ZCDC to beef up its security in the fields to curb illegal mining activities.
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“What is happening is that there is not enough security and as long as there is no enough security, we are going to see a recurrence of such fatal shootings,” he said.
Mavhiza’s sister, Beauty, said she suspected that her brother was shot by ZCDC guards.
“I am currently at the Mutare General Hospital mortuary, where my brother’s body is currently being kept. We are going for a post-mortem on November 2 in Harare. We are told he was shot in the fields,” she said.
Both ZCDC chief executive officer Morris Mpofu and Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa were unreachable for comment as their mobile phones went unanswered.
