A 27-YEAR-OLD Gokwe panner was on Tuesday stabbed to death by colleagues following a row over distribution of gold ore.
Evince Mapfumo was pronounced dead on arrival at Shurugwi District Hospital while the suspects Onias Tione (23) and Nunyaradzi Marufu (25) were arrested and charged with murder.
Midlands provincial police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko yesterday confirmed the incident.
“A 27-year-old Gokwe man died upon arrival at the hospital after he was stabbed with a knife by his fellow artisanal miners following a misunderstanding over the sharing of gold. The incident occurred at Wanderer mining area in Shurugwi ,” he said.
It is reported that on October 10, the now-deceased and the suspects dug up 16 grammes of the precious mineral and agreed to share the proceeds the following day.
A fierce brawl broke out the following day after the suspects only accounted for four grammes, and Mapfumo could take none of that.
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In the ensuing melee, the suspects stabbed the deceased all over the body until he fell down unconscious.
A well-wisher later intervened and rushed Mapfumo to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
In an unrelated incident, a 46-year-old Gokwe man is battling for life after he was assaulted by four men who accused him of stealing a donkey.
The man, Witness Sibanda, was at a tuckshop in Mafa village when Bright Mafa and his brothers Bhodhlo, Blessed and Dashday Siziba confronted him while armed with machetes, knobkerries and axes, accusing him of stocktheft.
One of the suspects allegedly struck Sibanda with an axe on the head before he was taken to hospital.