JOC silence Machete criminals in Chegutu
It took the intervention of the Joint Operation Command to calm the situation in Chegutu, when the Machete-wielding criminals, who usually target small scale and artisanal miners unleashed terror on anyone whom they thought deals in gold mining after a gold rush in Chegutu industrial area in the CBD, Chegutu Miners Association chairperson Mr Innocent Nicks has said.
Rudairo Mapuranga
According to Nicks, the situation in Chegutu only became calm after the involvement of JOC late yesterday which resulted in some of the criminal elements vanishing from the area without a trace.
“Thanks to the JOC team set today to end this devilish situation. The situation and area are now calm and cool due to the heavy security deployment done after 4-hour JOC closed-door meeting” said Nicks.
According to Nicks, the situation in Chegutu for the past five days has been a horror to the people of Chegutu because of the unscrupulous operations by these machete criminals who pounced on miners. The criminals were controlling the small area, robbing people of their valuables and attacking everyone whom they suspected was involved in mining or mining activities.
“The situation in Chegutu for the past 5 days was bad for the Chegutu miners, gold buyers, millers, and the general Chegutu residents.”
“The machete-wielding men from Kadoma, Kwekwe, Gokwe and their recruits in Chegutu were pouncing on everyone whom they suspect to have valuables including gold, money, cellphones, etc.”
“They attacked people at a gold rush at a David Whitehead Textile company dumpsite and seriously injured several people who were rushed to Chegutu hospital for treatment,” said Nicks.
The Joint Operations Command (JOC) is the supreme organ for the coordination of state security in Zimbabwe. It was first established by the Rhodesian Security Forces to supervise its counter-insurgency campaign in the Rhodesian Bush War as well as external incursions into neighbouring countries such as Zambia and Mozambique.