MIDLANDS police have launched an investigation after a Kwekwe gold miller was shot dead on the outskirts of the gold mining city on Sunday night.
Witnesses said a three-man gang shot Handson Moyo at around 11PM at his Dark-Horse gold mill in Marshville. The robbers made off with 350kg of carbons containing gold concentrate.
Moyo and his employees were at the carbon house where he was storing semi-processed gold preparing to transport it to Fidelity Printers when the robbers struck.
Dark-Horse Administrator, Tafadzwa Dzapasi, said when he got to the carbon house together with Moyo, the three men emerged from the dark and produced a pistol. They ordered them to lie down while they ferried the bags containing carbons to their getaway car. Dzapasi said Moyo was tied onto a pillar while the other two employees were ordered to undress as the robbers looted the semi-processed gold.
Moyo, said Dzapasi, managed to untie his hands and tried to wrest a pistol from one of the robbers. The robber fired a shot aimed at Moyo’s head and he died on the spot.
Dzapasi said the robbers went and robbed other employees who were working at the mill and stole gold ore.
Midlands Provincial Mining Director Engineer Tapererwa Paskwavaviri said cases of gold robbery were now rampant at mines and mills around the province.
“There’re several other cases that we’ve received of armed robbers who’re on a robbing spree, targeting small scale gold mines and mills,” said Paskwavaviri.