Shurugwi, Zimbabwe — Magama Musoni, a prominent gold panner based in Shurugwi, was fatally shot by police on Saturday afternoon in a confrontation at a mine in Mvuma.
Musoni reportedly tried to intervene to free a colleague who had been taken into police custody. According to witnesses present at Musoni’s funeral wake, the incident turned violent as Musoni attempted to wrestle with the officers, resulting in his being shot in the chest and dying on the spot.
Sources at the scene recounted the events leading up to Musoni’s death. “He tried to free his colleague and wrestled with the police, but was shot and died instantly,” said a witness who spoke to The Midweek Watch on Sunday.
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Efforts to obtain an official comment on the incident were initially inconclusive. Midlands Province police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko stated that he could not confirm or deny the shooting, explaining that he was occupied in a long meeting and would be able to provide details only later in the day.
Meanwhile, mourners have gathered in the Makusha suburb of Shurugwi town to pay their respects to Musoni, a figure well known in the area’s small-scale mining community.
Musoni’s burial has been delayed pending a postmortem examination, according to a family source who emphasized that the family is awaiting further clarification on the incident before proceeding with the funeral arrangements.
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