Guard fatally shoots panner

Midlands Bureau
A SECURITY guard at Olimpia 47 Mine Bonsa in Shurugwi shot and killed a suspected illegal gold panner on the spot on Thursday afternoon and injured another.
Two other suspected illegal gold panners managed to run away and reported the incident at Shurugwi Police Station. Effort Tsanganyoka, 22, a security guard at Olimpia 47 Mine Bonsa, intercepted the four as they emerged from a mine shaft carrying gold ore.

Tsanganyoka was standing guard at the entrance of the mine shaft armed with a Zidi rifle 22 when the four panners emerged with their loot.
It was around 1.30PM.

Midlands police spokesperson, Inspector Joel Goko, said they were treating the matter as a murder case.
He said: “We are investigating a murder case in which a 22-year-old man was shot dead by a security guard at Olimpia 47 Mine Bonsa in Shurugwi on Thursday.
Allegations are that on the said date and time, Effort Tsanganyoka, a security guard at the Shurugwi mine, was on duty armed with a rifle, a Zidi 22 model. Four suspected illegal gold panners emerged from the entrance of the shaft which he was guarding.

Insp Goko said Tsanganyoka tried to arrest them but the four men charged at him intending to attack.
“The guard then fired a warning shot into the air but the four continued to advance towards him. He then shot Givemore Moyo of Jinga Village in Zhombe once on the chest and the man died on the spot.

“Tsanganyoka directed his gun at Thabani Ndiweni, 22, and shot him on the elbow. The other two suspected panners ran away and reported the shooting at Shurugwi Police Station,” said Insp Goko.

Police attended the scene and the body of the deceased was conveyed to Shurugwi District Hospital mortuary.