Gold ore thief caught in ambush
A 33-YEAR-OLD miner from Bulawayo allegedly stole 1 500 kg of gold ore from his employer.
Nkosilathi Ngoma of Village A Hope Fountain, employed by Carry Mine Company, allegedly used a donkey-drawn scotch cart to transport the gold ore to Funglum Mine milling site.
The offence came to light when Mr David Ndlovu (58), a security guard at the mine, received a tip-off indicating that Ngoma had stolen gold ore.
Mr Ndlovu and two colleagues, Mgcini Ndlovu and Kith Ncube, rushed to Funglum Mine before Ngoma arrived and lay an ambush.
The security guard caught up with Ngoma as he arrived at the milling site.
Mr Ndlovu asked the accused person where he got the gold ore and he failed to answer leading to his arrest.
The security guard positively identified the gold ore.
Ngoma pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of theft when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Rachel Mukanga.
However, he said he only took half a tonne of gold ore not 1,5 tonnes.
Ms Mukanga said the court will not accept an incomplete plea and she remanded him in custody to May 11.
The prosecutor, Ms Ashley Dube said on April 24 at unknown time at Carry Mine, the complainant received information from Bhekimpilo Moyo indicating that the accused person had stolen gold ore at the mine shaft and was ferrying it to Funglum Mine in a scotch cart.
“The complainant teamed up with two other colleagues, trapped and caught the accused person before he offloaded the ore at the milling site,” said Ms Dube.
The gold ore stolen weighs 1,5 tonnes and all was recovered. The value will be ascertained by an assayer and will be produced in court as exhibit.
The Chronicle