By Staff Writer
A-29-year-old illegal miner in Kitwe has died in a pit at Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) slug dump following the collapse of its walls.
Copperbelt Police Commanding Office Peacewell Mweemba said brief facts are that Raphael Mwansa the victim was in the company of his friend Gift Musonda 29, of unknown residential address in Kandabwe Township illegally entered the mine for KCM and engaged in illegal mining activities inside the pit.
Mr Mweemba said it’s at this point that the walls of the pit collapsed and buried Raphael Mwansa in the rocky mine soil, while Gift Musonda managed to escape and reported the incident to the mine authorities.
He said KCM moved in to retrieve the dead body of the victim using mining equipment and managed to bring it to the surface.
Mr Mweemba said the matter was reported to the police who inspected the victim’s body and found him with a soiled mouth cavity and some bruises on the rear left side of his body.
“Police, with officers from KCM, visited the pit, which measured approximately 5 meters deep. The body of the deceased has been picked and deposited into Kitwe Teaching Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem examination. An inquiry file has been opened,” he said.
