CHEGUTU The government is losing thousand of dollars in revenue to corrupt police officers who have formed syndicates with panners to illegally mine gold, it has been revealed.Police officers manning the premises of an abandoned truck inn, where gold deposits were discovered, have been connected to a gold scam with local gold panners.
The property, situated along the Harare-Bulawayo highway, has become a hive of activity during the night. The property owner intended to develop a truck inn, with a fuel refilling station. During the excavation for fuel storage tanks, gold bearing rocks were discovered, leading to a gold rush that attracted hundreds of fortune seekers.
At the end of January, the police were called in to quell the illegal gold panners as the property owner had failed to contain the situation. By early March, the police had cordoned off the area. However, weeks later, trailer loads of ore found their way to the mill for processing. Meanwhile, the police are making brisk business by charging between US$50-$100 per syndicate for a short interval. Other police officers have joined in the syndicates and share the spoils equally after processing.
Usually a syndicate needs to have more than four people and a car to ferry the stove (gold bearing soil). Two use shovels to load into empty bags, while the other two carry the stove to the car. The following morning, the soil is taken to the mill for processing.
The area has attracted many youths at night including those of school-going age. The gold scam has become talk of the town. Residents within the neighbourhood confirmed that there were clandestine deals going on in the area at night. Three residents confirmed that as early as 20:00 hours, panners flock to the area.
We see trailer loads of gold bearing soil coming from this area and it has been going on for sometime now. I think the police are to blame for this mess. Our neighbourhood is now a hub of criminal activity, said one woman who preferred anonymity.
Close sources within the police force revealed that several police officers (names supplied) have acquired wealth from the little Chiyadzwa as it is affectionately known. The source further revealed that a prominent cabinet minister was also involved in the furtive extraction of the mineral from the site using his political muscle.
Post published in: News