Two gold panners (one a teenager) from Inyathi, Matabeleland North have been arrested for allegedly murdering a fellow gold panner whom they accused of belonging to the Shona tribe.
The pair was arrested together with seven others who are facing charges of public violence after they ransacked three shacks one serving as a makeshift shop and looted groceries and property worth ZWL$200 000.
Nkosimayibongwe Sibanda (30) and Andrew Sibanda (19) were arraigned before Bulawayo magistrate Shepherd Mjanja facing a murder charge.
Magistrate Mjanja remanded the pair in custody to December 11.
The other seven: Ivene Sibanda (30),Nkosinamandla Mthimkhulu (28), Prince Ngwenya (26), Marshall Sibindi (28), Bhekimpilo Tshuma (31), Zakaria Sibanda (22),Dingani Ncube (24), Edmond Mnkandla (33) and Kholwani Ncube (29) were charged with public violence.
They are also expected back in court on December 11.
The court heard the incident occurred at Dodol mine in Inyathi.
The state allegations, as presented by Memory Matare, the assailants mobilised themselves and proceeded to Dodol mine.
“Accused persons started destroying shacks used for human habitation and the other used as a shop. They assaulted the occupants with machetes and missiles before looting groceries from a shop belonging to Tichafara Muzeziwa. Total value of damaged property and looted goods was ZWL$200 000,” said Matare.
