A CHINESE national, presented as an investor within the gold mining sector, has been convicted for stealing over US$875,000 worth of the precious metal from a local small-scale miner and illegally operating in Mashonaland East's Makaha area.
Documents from the Mines Ministry, sourced by NewZimbabwe.com, and a Mutoko Regional Magistrates Court ruling have all exposed a well-coordinated syndicate comprising Zheng Zhangxian, the 'Chinese investor' and a mines official, amongst others.
Zheng, who was convicted and had his questionably registered company, Reajin Enterprises, receive a restitution order of US$875,667.67, is reported to have been encroaching on a claim belonging to Emmanuel Ndemera's Koodoo 83 claim for the past four years.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
Reajin Enterprises had been operating as Takura Mining Syndicate, which held a Special Grant, in some form of partnership with a Zimbabwean partner, Vengai Kurarama.
Takura Mining Syndicate's claim was next to Ndemera's, from which they knowingly stole his gold ore.
Zheng, up until this year, had been mining 75 metres below the surface of Ndemera's claim where he is said to have stolen over 5,000 tonnes of gold ore.
Documents in NewZimbabwe.com's possession reveal successful investigations into Zheng's operations and payment of a US$350 bribe to Mines Ministry Inspector Anthony Singende, who has since been dismissed.
Singende, who was part of the ministry's investigating team that provided evidence of blasting and Zheng's ore theft on Ndemera's claim, was not only paid to curtail investigations but went as far as sanctioning continued blasting on the property against ministry guidelines. His criminal case is being pursued at the Marondera Magistrates Court.
"The traverse survey clearly indicates encroachment of a haulage in Adit No. 5 along strike with stoping (active extraction of ore) done above the distance of approximately 75 metres.
"We recommend that Takura Mining Syndicate cease mining operations within the boundary of Ndemera and construct a containment wall 6m inside their own boundary," read a report that followed investigations.
The 6m is mandated by Statutory Instrument (SI) 109 of 1990 (Mine Management and Safety Regulations).
The ore was processed at the Chinese-owned Zhangveng Milling Plant according to a letter sent to Ndemera by Provincial Mining Director Tendai Kashiri. The milling plant, together with Zheng's own partnership, was last month exposed to have been operating illegally in the country.
Whereas foreign investors are supposed to be cleared by the Zimbabwe Investments Development Agency (ZIDA), legally bound to form and register companies, the two formed mining syndicates with locals against policies meant to govern foreign investments.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Reajin Enterprises was convicted on September 8, this year, of contravening Section 113(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act as read with Section 379 of the Mines and Minerals Act (theft of gold ore).
A fine of US$3,000 was imposed, restitution of US$875,667.67 ordered and the entire ore dump was to be returned to Ndemera.
