Three suspected ‘Zama-zamas’appeared before Francistown Magistrate Court on Friday charged with mining without permits.
Zama-zama is a colloquial term used in South Africa to describe illegal miners that risk their lives panning for gold and other precious metals mostly in abandoned shafts.
Codenia Sibanda, Khubekani Moyo and Kabelo Mosweu, aged between 20 and 30 years stood accused of carrying out illegal mining activities at the abandoned old pits of Shashe Gold mine near Francistown.
Sibanda and Moyo who opted to use Ndebele language in court were also charged with entering the country through an ungazetted point of entry on the dates unknown to the prosecution.
The court heard that police officers who were on patrol found Sibanda mining at the old pits and soon as they arrested him he blurted out that Moyo, Mosweu and another, who had fled and therefore could not be in court has also committed the same offence.
Moyo and Mosweu were then arrested at their houses where Moyo was found with two weddings gowns and eight children’s chairs that he couldn’t account for.
That worsened his troubles as a charge of being found in possession of suspected stolen property was added to his charge sheet.
The Investigating Officer, Masego Modibedi pleaded with court to remand the accused persons in custody until investigations are completed.
“The two accused persons are illegal immigrants without a place of stay in Botswana and we fear that if granted bail they might abscond.
“The three accused were arrested on the 23rd so we just commenced investigations. We plead that they be remanded in custody to allow for that,” said Modibedi.
When the accused were asked if they have anything to say in court, Sibanda asked for bail while Moyo said he had an elderly and widowed mother back home to take care of.
Th third accused who is a motswana asked for bail to assist the police with the arrest of the fourth accused currently on the run.
Magistrate Dipate Mareledi remanded the two accused persons from Zimbabwe in custody and granted Mosweu bail. They will be back in court on the 11th of October.
