By A Correspondent-A Bulawayo, High Court Judge has sentenced a Zvishavane gangster believed to be the ring leader of a 63-member gang of illegal gold panners who terrorised fellow miners at Sabi Gold mine to 25 years in prison.

Justice Christopher Dube-Banda slapped Bothwell Moyo (34), with 25 years imprisonment after hearing that the accused, in 2017 led his gang in the murder of Brian Bushe (28) an illegal gold panner whom they assaulted and stabbed with knives, spears and machetes all over the body.

Bushe, thinking that he could escape the barrage of attack from the 64 illegal gold miners dived into a dam for safety.

However, determined to kill him, Moyo and his gang threw explosives in the dam aimed at Bushe before running away from the scene.
The other gang members are still at large.

Bushe’s battered body was discovered in the dam by the police after the matter was reported.

Moyo appeared before Justice Dube-Banda sitting at the Gweru High Court circuit recently facing one count of murder.

Moyo pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of culpable homicide.
However, Justice Dube-Banda found him guilty of murder with actual intent and sentenced him to 25 years in prison.

The judge said he took into consideration that Moyo has been in remand prison for three years following his arrest.

“The court is taking into consideration that the accused has been in custody for about three years. However, that doesn’t take away the gravity of the matter. He is sentenced to 25-years in prison,” said Justice Dube-Banda.

Prosecutor Mr Mandla Ndlovu told the court that on April 27, 2017 at around 7pm, Moyo was going to Sabi gold mine to pan for gold with Omega Ziwa, Godknows Sibanda and other who are still at large when they met Bushe.

Bushe was in the company of Moses Zakaria, Evans Sibanda and two other panners.

Moyo grabbed Bushe and reminded him of an incident where he had reported him to the police for an assault.

Moyo and his gang indiscriminately assaulted Bushe with machetes, axes and knives.

Bushe broke free but the gang gave chase while pelting him with stones which hit him on the head and back.

Mr Mandla said Bushe dived into a dam for safety as there was no other way of escape.

He said Moyo and his gang threw explosives into the dam aimed at Bushe.
A report was made to the police who later recovered Bushes body from the dam.

His body was retrieved from the dam before it was taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals for post-mortem where it was concluded that the cause of death was Asphyxia, drowning, head injury, assault and subarachnoid haemorrhage.

Moyo was arrested before fleeing to South Africa when he was given bail.
He was rearrested and has been in custody for the past three years.
Moyo also faces another attempted murder charge.

-State media