Chronicle EditorNyore Madzianike and Blessing Rwizi
Security shortcomings at Chiadzwa diamond fields have once again been exposed after one of the security officers at the mining concessions, Tellmore Muza, told the court that there were “plenty of open and unattended areas”.
Muza (32), who is attached to the Zimbabwe Republic Police Support Unit Transtech, lost his gun to three suspected illegal diamond panners while manning the Jinan Diamond plant in Chiadzwa on the night of September 2, 2017.
He told the court that there were areas that did not have security fence at the diamond fields. Muza said this while testifying in a matter in which Noremore Nyamupeza (23), Phillip Mamutse (17) and Lovemore Zvarevashe (38) appeared in court answering to charges of stealing the AK-47 assault rifle from him.
The trio appeared before magistrate Tendai Mahwe. Asked whether there were other security officers who were manning the first entrance where the trio gained entry through, Muza said there were security loopholes at the diamond fields.
“I was with a security guard from Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company,” he said. “There were no other security officers and there are many other open spaces without a fence, which are not manned.” Nyamupeza, Mamutse and Zvarevashe denied the charges.
They told the court that they were not anywhere near Jinan diamond plant, with Nyamupeza saying he was doing his food vending job, while Mamutse told the court that he was at Hot Springs on the day in question.
Zvarevashe told the court that he was in Harare on the day of the alleged offence. The prosecutor, Mr Walter Saunyama, alleged that on September 2 at around 2am, Muza was on duty with a ZCDC security guard at Jinan Diamond plant.
“He was armed with an AK-47 firearm charged with 30 rounds,” he said. “At around 2:30am, the ZCDC security guard went for a roving patrol, leaving the cop in the guardroom. “During the same time, the three accused persons approached the cop in the guardroom. Nyamupeza and Mamutse confronted the cop, while Zvarevashe kept watch outside.
“Nyamupeza threatened to hit the cop with an iron bar and ordered him to surrender his service rifle. The cop surrendered the rifle to Mamutse who also picked the button that was on a bench.
“The three accused persons fled the scene with the rifle and button to Tonhorai Mountain and hid them. Information was received from a police informer that Mamutse was in possession of the rifle, leading to his arrest. “He led police detectives to Tonhorai Mountain where the firearm was recovered. He further implicated Nyamupeza and Zvarevashe, leading to their arrest.” The stolen AK-47 rifle was valued at $1 500.
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