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DANIEL Ncube, a member of a gang that attacked mine workers with axes, machetes and knobkerries in Esigodini and threw them in a 3-metre deep mine shaft before stealing 4 tonnes of gold ore has been sentenced to 36 months in jail for robbery.
Ncube (29) of J8 Njube in Bulawayo, was in the company of some accomplices only identified as Tira, Gift, Nkosiyazi, Thembelani, Fortune and Makiwa who are still at large, also poured cold water on the mines workers and covered the shaft with tree branches after throwing them inside.
Three of the workers were later taken to Esigodini Hospital where they were treated and discharged with injuries after the attack with axes, machetes and knobkerries.
Ncube pleaded not guilty to the charge when he appeared before Esigodini magistrate Mr Jeconia Prince Ncube who however found him guilty due to overwhelming evidence,
Ncube will however serve an effective 24 months in jail after the magistrate suspended five years on
condition of good behaviour within five years with dishonesty and violence key elements, and a further six months was suspended on condition that he restitutes US$600 to the complainant, being the total value of the gold ore.
He was given up to 18 October to pay the money.
For the State, Ms Nomusa Maseko said the gang attacked Mr Carlos Mathuthu, Mr Derick Ngwenya, Mr Allan Musodzi and Mr Brilliant, workers at Sinkukwe Mine owned by Mr Lawrence Phiri of Spitzkop in Gwanda.
She said the gang armed itself with machetes, axes, knobkerries and torches and hired a truck belonging to Mr Qondumuzi Tshuma and proceeded to the mine.
“On the 6th day of August at 10pm the accused person together with other seven accomplices who are still at large hatched a plan to steal gold ore from Sinkukwe Mine in Esigodini. Upon arrival at the mine the accused pounced on the mine employees who were warming themselves around a fire and ordered them to lie down,” said Ms Maseko.
The court was told that Ncube hit Mr Mathuthu once on the forehead with a machete and once on the head with the back of an axe before searching his trousers’ pocket and stole a power bank and US$4 cash.
He also assaulted Mr Ngwenya with a machete on the forehead and several times on the back using the flat side side of the machete.
The gang then force-marched the employees and threw them in the mine shaft after which they poured cold water on them before putting tree branches.
The gang loaded four tonnes of gold ore which was heaped outside the mine shaft into the truck and drove away to a hammer mill where they processed it.
The workers later came out of the mine shaft and informed the owner.
Ncube was arrested at Bhalazini after detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department Minerals, Flora and Fauna Unit got wind about his whereabouts.
The State led evidence from Mr Tshuma who told the court that the gang hired his truck to carry the gold ore.
He said upon arrival at the mine he was asked to park the truck about 300 metres away as the gang went to load the ore into sacks and later on instructed him to drive to the site where they loaded and drove off to Purpose area. They offloaded the ore at the hammer mill and Mr Tshuma eent back to his place of residence, he said.
Mr Foreman Maseko, a hammer mill operator told the court that he did not ask for a gold ore movement permit from the gang despite legal requirement that before milling takes place such documents should be presented.
The gold ore sample was taken for assay and it was valued at US$600 and nothing was recovered.
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