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Crime and Courts

Unrepentant’ Chinese miner accused in new gold-ore fraud case

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Court Awards Nearly US$49K to Farmer Shot During Patrol

A Chinese investor already convicted for the theft of thousands of tonnes of gold ore has been linked to a fresh scheme allegedly aimed at reclaiming the very ore dump a court ordered him to return.

Records obtained from the Ministry of Mines, police files and High Court filings identify Zheng Zhangxian, owner of Reajin Enterprises, as a principal behind a newly registered entity  the so-called Zhangveng Syndicate which investigators say was created to regain control of the disputed dump using forged paperwork and manipulation of legal processes.

Court documents show Zheng was found guilty in the Mutoko Magistrates’ Court and ordered to pay US$875,000 in restitution. Despite that conviction, the investigation indicates he continued to act through new corporate vehicles. Zhangveng was incorporated on 8 September 2025  the same day the Magistrates’ Court handed down the guilty finding against Reajin Mine  and lists Zheng alongside Zimbabwean national Vengai Kurarama as directors.

A Ministry of Mines report reviewed by Express Mail Zim states the syndicate’s formation appears to breach the Mines and Minerals Act and regulations administered by ZIDA, which restrict informal foreign-local partnerships outside approved corporate structures. Legal analysts say those actions potentially violate both mining and foreign investment laws.

Field checks by ministry technicians reportedly uncovered altered survey markers and discrepancies in the claim paperwork submitted by Zhangveng. GPS verification placed the contested ore dump roughly 1.6 kilometres beyond Zhangveng’s registered boundaries, the report says.

Following those findings, Mutoko police opened a criminal docket — CR 68/09/25 — charging the syndicate with offences including alteration of beacon positions (Section 376) and misrepresentation of claim coordinates and size (Section 383) under the Mines and Minerals Act. The ministry’s inquiry further alleges Zhangveng attempted to appropriate ore belonging to Emmanuel Ndemera, the original complainant in the Reajin case.

Despite the pending criminal probe, Zhangveng has launched an urgent High Court application (HC 4522/25) to bar Ndemera from accessing the ore dump. Investigators contend documents in that filing include forged declarations and incorrect claims  such as assertions that Ndemera lacked an Environmental Impact Assessment certificate  a contention reportedly refuted by the Environmental Management Agency.

Sources close to the matter describe the pattern as recurrent: Zheng is said to adopt new local partners and company names to continue mining activity and evade court orders. “He recycles the scheme  different fronts, same objective,” one complainant told investigators.

Some local miners and sources linked to the case say legal processes have been repeatedly delayed and accuse unnamed lawyers of shielding the investor, a claim that has yet to be independently verified.

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Crime and Courts

GOKWE MAN SENTENCED 15 YEARS FOR ATTEMPTED RAPE

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Photo Credit: Internet

​A 35-year-old man from Village Zebediah under Chief Njelele has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for the attempted rape of a minor.

The Gokwe Regional Magistrates’ Court convicted Kupakwashe Hore following an incident that occurred earlier this month.

​The court heard that on April 5, 2026, at approximately 09:00 hours, Hore arrived at a local homestead and took the complainant away to a nearby field. The victim is a young girl aged between four and five years.

​While in the field, the offender undressed the child and lowered his own trousers. A local villager arrived at the scene just in time to intervene, pushing Hore away and rescuing the girl.

The witness then took the child back to her mother.

​A formal report was promptly filed at ZRP Gokwe. The victim was subsequently referred to Gokwe Hospital for a medical examination to assess any harm.

​In a statement following the sentencing, the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) emphasized the importance of the ruling.

“The conviction and sentence reflect the gravity of sexual violence and the commitment of the NPAZ to ensure that those who act unlawfully face the full might of the law,” the authority stated.

​The NPAZ further noted that the safety and dignity of children within Zimbabwean communities remain paramount to the justice system.

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Crime and Courts

Top SA Police Chief Faces R5 Million Bribery Allegation

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South Africa’s National Police Commissioner, Fannie Masemola, has been accused of receiving a R5 million bribe from businessman and football administrator Bobby Motaung.

The allegations were made on Sunday by suspended Mpumalanga Police Commissioner Daphney Manamela during a media briefing held in Mbombela.

Manamela alleged that the payment reportedly shared with Major General Botsotso Moukangwe was intended to block her return to office and halt the reopening of fraud and corruption investigations linked to Motaung.

The cases relate to a controversial tender involving the construction of Mbombela Stadium.

She further linked the matter to the 2010 killing of whistleblower Jimmy Mohlala, who had exposed alleged irregularities in the stadium project.

According to Manamela, purported confessions from Moukangwe support her claims.

Responding to the allegations, police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe described them as serious and confirmed that they will be subjected to formal investigation.

As of now, neither Masemola nor Motaung has issued a public response. The claims have raised fresh concerns about accountability and integrity within the South African Police Service.

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Crime and Courts

Manhunt Launched After Triple Shooting in Chimanimani

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Chipinge – Police are searching for a 30-year-old suspect who fled after allegedly shooting three people in Chimanimani, triggering a nationwide appeal for information.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police identified the suspect as Francis Makuma Magirayano, who is wanted in connection with an attempted murder case linked to an incident that occurred on April 18, 2026. Authorities believe he had recently returned from South Africa.

It is alleged that Magirayano, who was driving a silver Toyota Fortuner (registration number JV 70 SM GP), opened fire following a dispute with his wife, 26-year-old Mercyline Mahembe. He reportedly shot her several times, injuring her cheek, hand, and thigh.

The suspect is also accused of shooting his sister-in-law in the leg and a shopkeeper at Kopa Business Centre during the same incident.

All three victims were rushed to hospital in Chipinge, where they are still receiving treatment.

Police say the suspect remains at large and are urging members of the public with any information on his whereabouts to contact the ZRP National Complaints Desk or report to the nearest police station.

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