Chinese company in court for ‘burying’ artisanal miner alive, body retrieved 3 days later

At Mutasa Magistrates Court, Xu Zhong Jin Investments, a Chinese mining company stood trial today after being sued for damages by the widow & child of Sure Mutamba, an artisanal miner, who was buried alive in November 2020.

This happened as the Chinese miner was rehabilitating a mining site at Premier Estate in Old Mutare in Manicaland province.

The widow, Nester Munyongani & her 4 year-old minor child, who are represented by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights are suing Xu Zhong Jin Investments for ZWL2 million for negligently causing the death of Mutamba & for loss of support emanating from his death.

Mutamba’s body was only exhumed 3 days after he died following protests by community members over the inhumane operations of the Chinese miner.

In summons filed in court, lawyers stated that the Chinese miner had been advised that Mutamba was underground before its employees even closed the deep pit but they proceeded and closed the pit.

ZLHR says their intervention in this matter is meant to protect the rights of communities in conflict with big mining corporations.

Zwnews