Seven Police Vehicles Get Fuel From Miner Implicated In Murder Case | Report

A Zimbabwean artisanal miner was reportedly murdered by guards at the Chinese-owned Sino Africa Huijin mine in Premier Estate, Old Mutare, on Wednesday night.

Farai Maguwu, a human rights advocate and founding director of the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG), said the guards shot the man three times in the face. Maguwu wrote on X on Thursday morning:

Last night, at the Chinese owned Sino Africa Huijin, Premier Estate at Old Mutare, a Zimbabwean artisanal miner was murdered by the guards. They pumped 3 bullets into his face. Clear case of homicide since the guards were not acting in self-defense but with actual intent to kill.

Later that day, Maguwu reported that, after police officers visited the murder scene at Sino Africa Huijin in Premier Estate, up to seven police vehicles were observed lining up at the Chinese compound for refueling.

In response to Maguwu’s posts on X, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) said they were investigating the allegations and assured the public that full details would be released soon. The ZRP said:

Reference is made to the social media post by Farai Maguwu of Centre for Natural Resources Governance in connection with the violence, murder and allegations that the ZRP vehicles accessed fuel at Sino Africa, Huijin, Premier Estate, Penhalonga while attending to the report. The ZRP assures the public that investigations are being conducted in connection with the allegations. Full details will be released in due course.

Maguwu questioned the legality of police officers accepting fuel from murder suspects and whether justice would be served after the officers allegedly received a “bribe” from those involved in the crime.

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