Botha Gold Mine Approval Revoked Over Alleged Fraud and Forgery Dispute

By Staff Reporter

The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has cancelled a controversial Siting of Works approval previously issued to Botha Gold Mine after allegations of fraud, forgery, and abuse of office emerged in a dispute involving Mutapa Gold Resources, operators of Freda Rebecca Gold Mine.

The conflict centres on claims that Side Electrical (Pvt) Ltd, operating as Botha Gold Mine, allegedly submitted altered coordinates that encroached into Mining Lease 21 (ML21), an area linked to Freda Rebecca Gold Mine.

The latest developments come after earlier concerns were raised over the legality of Botha Mine’s registration coordinates and the conduct of ministry officials involved in processing the disputed Siting of Works documentation.

In a letter dated 29 April 2026, Mashonaland Central Provincial Mining Director T. Kashiri notified Botha Mine that the Siting of Works approval for Botha 1-4, registration numbers 46035-38, issued on 21 April, had been cancelled.

According to the ministry, the move followed consultations regarding parties involved in what was described as a boundary dispute and related court proceedings.

“Accordingly, the Siting of Works which was approved on the 21st of April has been withdrawn and nullified.”

The correspondence was also copied to Freda Rebecca Gold Mine, the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) in Bindura, and the Officer Commanding Mashonaland Central Province.

A few days later, Botha Mine withdrew an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) addendum it had submitted to EMA.

In a letter dated 6 May 2026, Side Electrical informed EMA that it wished to withdraw the submission “to enable us to attend to the correspondence that you requested”.

No additional explanation was provided by the company.

However, Mutapa Gold Resources claims the withdrawal followed objections it had lodged with EMA concerning what it described as a fraudulent Siting of Works plan.

In a strongly worded letter dated 8 May 2026 addressed to the Provincial Mining Director, Mutapa stated that it had opposed Botha’s EMA application “citing, amongst other grounds, the issue of a fraudulent Siting of Works plan as a basis for non-consent to the processing of the Environmental Impact Assessment”.

The company welcomed the ministry’s decision to revoke the approval.

“We welcome the withdrawal of the forged Siting of Works plan by the Ministry of Mines. This document was mischievously aimed at misleading EMA in the EIA process.”

Mutapa further alleged that the disputed document had been manipulated through geo-referenced overlays to position Botha Mine inside ML21 despite its officially registered location being elsewhere.

“It became clear that Ministry of Mines officials who processed this document did so fraudulently by placing Side Electricals in ML21 contrary to its actual registration position.”

The company also argued that the disputed plan was intended to unlawfully expand Botha Mine’s operational footprint without the required authority.

“The plan was fraudulently aimed at increasing Botha’s area without a certificate or authority supporting this expansion. This constitutes fraud.”

Mutapa additionally challenged the ministry’s assertion that there was an active court matter involving a boundary dispute.

“We note with great concern that your office has created the impression that there is a boundary dispute and a pending court case on a boundary dispute when no such case exists.”

In one of the strongest allegations contained in the correspondence, Mutapa identified four Ministry of Mines officials accused of participating in the processing of the disputed Siting of Works document dated 17 April 2026.

The officials named were S. Madiro, P. Mushangwe, S. Mutamba, and C. Manyunga.

Mutapa described the alleged conduct as:

“deplorable, corrupt, criminal, and amounts to abuse of office”.

The company warned that it would escalate the matter to law enforcement agencies if the ministry failed to issue a written position by 8 May 2026.

“Should a clear position not be adopted in writing by end of day 8 May 2026, a criminal complaint for Fraud, Forgery, and Criminal Abuse of Office will be filed with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and the Zimbabwe Republic Police.”

Copies of the complaint were also sent to the Secretary for Mines and Mining Development, EMA, and the Zimbabwe Republic Police.

The dispute follows earlier reports published on 22 April 2026 in which Freda Rebecca Gold Mine alleged that Botha Mine had submitted “fraudulently surveyed coordinates” intended to shift Botha 1-4 claims onto sections of ML21.

At the time, Provincial Mining Director Kashiri reportedly stated under oath that Side Electrical “has never acquired any mining rights within Mining Lease 21”.

Botha Mine had previously dismissed the accusations, arguing that the matter was still before the courts and that the ministry’s filings were merely procedural.

Questions send by the publication where not answered by Botha Mine.

By yesterday, neither Botha Gold Mine nor the Ministry of Mines had publicly responded to the latest allegations.

Government Chief Mining Engineer Munodawafa reportedly indicated that the matter was being dealt with at provincial level, while the Provincial Mining Director declined to comment further.