MUTARE – Police officers manning the Chiadzwa diamond fields have killed a suspected illegal diamond miner.
Tonderai Kanyenze was shot dead after two police officers opened fire at him while he was in the diamond fields.
Police have confirmed the incident saying Kanyenze was part of a group of 200 people that invaded the diamond fields armed with iron bars, hoes and other digging tools.
Police spokesman, Brian Makomeke, said police officers first shot into the air to disperse the illegal miners but this did not scare them.
Makomeke said the police then opened fire and killed Kanyenze in the process.
The police spokesperson said the Chiadzwa diamond fields were a no go area.
The shooting of Kanyenze, whose age could not be immediately ascertained, come in the wake of an upsurge in the number of illegal panners invading the diamond fields and corrupt activities involving police officers.
Security details manning the fields have been accused of working in cohorts with illegal miners and buyers in Chiadzwa.
It is alleged that the police allow panners into the fields for a fee. The fee can be as much as US$200.
No comments:
Post a Comment