Remains of 7 people discovered in old shaft

Fungai Lupande

Mashonaland Central Bureau

Police in Mashonaland Central have discovered remains of about seven people in a mine shaft at Elvingz Mine, Makalanga Farm in Mazowe.

Deputy provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Major Samuel Chikasha said the bodies were discovered at the top of a mountain where approximately 30-metres deep open cast mining is in progress.

He said debris removed from the shaft by an excavator had old torn black plastics, torn clothes, torn shoe heels, torn blankets, suspected dislodged human bones and suspected human hair.

Sgt Maj Chikasha added that 10 pairs of trousers with green, maroon and brown colours were recovered.

“Some trousers had human bones inside suggesting that a human body was thrown in the shaft intact,” he said.

“The bones had lost shape due to decomposition. Black and white plastic papers were also in the shaft.”

Sgt Major Chikasha appealed to people with information that can assist in the investigation and identification of bodies to visit the nearest police station.

He said mining operations at Elvingz Mine are linked with an old German shaft where the remains were discovered.

The estimated number of bodies was derived from the number of trousers that had human remains inside.

“The type of clothes which were extracted are old fashioned clothes. Most of them were green in colour and were male clothes. They were also pieces of old-fashioned blankets,” he said.

“The recovered remains were placed in exhibit bags and referred to Mazowe police for further management.”

The remains will be sent to Parirenyatwa for forensic examination to establish the possible number of bodies, period of death and probable cause of death.

Circumstances are that on August 31, at around 7.30am, Luckson Mufunga (35), Marshal Ngwenta (22) and Kimpton Geza (40), all of Zvimba were contracted by Elvingz Mine to drill holes in preparation for blasting.

The trio are employed by Lingyong Zimbabwe.

Sgt Maj Chikasha said while assessing the shaft, Mafunga extracted from the shaft a heap of debris using an excavator.

The debris had plastics, torn clothes and torn shoe heels.

On taking a closer look, Mafunga discovered suspected dislodged human bones and hair.

He then advised his workmates, who also confirmed the human bones.

Mine manager Mr Webster Chikuku was informed and a police report was made.

The following day, CID Bindura and forensic experts attended the scene.