BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A 49-year-old security guard from Hwange appeared in court facing four counts of aggravated indecent assault.

The accused, from Hwange, is accused of sexually assaulting three male colleagues, including a 17-year-old, on various dates in August.

According to the prosecution, the accused offered the 17-year-old complainant accommodation at his house after he secured a job at his workplace.

On the night of August 10, the accused allegedly had anal sexual intercourse with the complainant without his consent.

The complainant confided in a friend and workmate, who advised him to wear tight-fitting clothes to deter the accused.

However, the accused allegedly had sexual intercourse with the complainant again on August 13.

Furthermore, he is accused of indecently assaulting two more male colleagues, aged 19 and 18, on August 15 and August 25, respectively.

He was remanded in custody to October 25, pending trial.

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A 34-year-old man has appeared in court on charges of threatening to commit murder and possession of prohibited knives.

Irvine Shoko, of Gamba Village, Hwange, is the accused.

On June 6, Shoko went to Possent Nyathi’s homestead around 10 pm and declared his intention to marry Nyathi’s daughter.

When Nyathi informed Shoko that his daughter was already married, Shoko became agitated, shouted at Nyathi, and threatened to kill him.

A police report was made, leading to Shoko’s arrest.

During his arrest, Shoko was found in possession of an okapi knife, a prohibited weapon.

Shoko was fined USD150, which was broken down into USD100 for the threat to commit murder and USD50 for possession of a prohibited weapon.

He was also given a wholly suspended three-month sentence on the condition that he does not commit a similar offense in the next five years.

BY TANAKA MREWA

Community members of Goodwood village in Bubi district were met with the arrival of a group of Chinese individuals conducting a diamond exploration in their area.

Speaking to CITE on condition of anonymity, villagers expressed surprise at this development, noting that no consultations had been conducted by community leaders with the residents regarding the matter.

They voiced concerns about the potential impact of mining on their homes and the environment, citing examples from other areas where companies have focused solely on extraction, leaving behind degraded landscapes.

Ward 6 Councillor Alson Ntini sought to ease these concerns, explaining that the group is currently conducting preliminary studies to determine whether diamonds are present in the area.

“If diamonds are found, it would represent a significant development opportunity for the community,” said Cllr Ntini.

“Tests have already been conducted earlier, including an aerial survey to assess the area’s potential for diamonds. Following that, this group is now on the ground to perform physical tests. They will dig between 20 and 50 meters deep to collect samples for further analysis in laboratories.”

He added, “Once everything is verified, they will commence mining operations. This is a welcome development for our area because if diamonds are indeed found, the community stands to benefit.

“Our children could find employment at the mine, as all manual labor positions that do not require specific expertise will be sourced from within our community. This will create much-needed job opportunities for our youth.

Additionally, the company has committed to giving back by providing various resources for local development. However, this will only be confirmed once all processes are complete and mining operations actually begin.”

SOURCE: CITE