Crime and Courts
Illegal miner jailed 5 years for gold worth USD 12
A Ruwa man will rue the day after he defied the cultural day (Chisi) and went on to illegally pan gold at a mine shaft after he was sentenced to five years imprisonment for unlawful possession of 0.096 grammes of the metal.
According to court records Tafadzwa Matsika (45) was sentenced to five years in prison for the illegal possession of gold.
NPA said Matsika was arrested on the 20 August 2025 at Greencroft mining compound mine after officials received information that someone was illegally panning for gold on cultural day of rest known as (Chisi).
“Mine officials tracked his spoor from a mining shaft to a nearby compound where they confronted the offender.
“Matsika produced a sachet of toasted gold weighing 0.096 grammes from his pocket but could not produce a mining license or permit.”