The High Court of Zimbabwe has barred a top Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officer from interfering in Goodness and Mercy Ministries (GMM) founder, Prophet Freddy’s mining operations in Mazowe.
Colonel Richard Mapanda has been allegedly terrorizing the popular prophet’s mine workers threatening to kill them, prompting the preacher to approach the courts.
“It is ordered by consent that the 1st respondent( Mapanda) and any person acting through him be and is hereby directed not to interfere with applicant’s mining operations on mining area covered under special Grant number 7286 RA 1566, in the mining district of Mashonaland Central,” reads the judgment.
Prophet T Freddy filed urgent application at the High Court stopping Colonel Mapanda from invading his mine in Mazowe and threaten to kill workers.
Colonel Mapanda had invaded the mine with a loaded gun threatening to shoot anyone who comes back on the pit head.
Through his lawyer Jivas Mudimu of Mudimu law chambers Prophet T Freddy said he was the director of Lazania Gold Mine that had the license and certificates to carry mining activities.
“Applicant is a Mining company which is in the business of mining prospect for gold on an area of approximately 100 hectares situated within RA 1566 in the Mining District of Mashonaland central under special grant is attached hereto as “Annexure “A”,” wrote Prophet T Freddy in his founding affidavit.
He said his company had gone through all required processes for registration and for Environmental Impact Assessment Certificate and no objection was raised concerning the land in question which is under his name.
“Despite all this effort which Applicant did which was at the knowledge of the 1st Respondent, he never objected, now that the applicant started its operation the 1st respondent is now disrupting the operations of the mine using force and threats. The Applicant efforts to stop the 1st respondent has proved to be abortive with fears that more confrontational approach will lead to violence” reads the affidavit.
“The Likelihood that the 1st respondent would unleash terror on the Applicant’s members is not imagined one since he came with a gun, and promised to shot anyone who comes back to the mine,”
Mudimu hailed the judgment saying it will now allow his client to do his work freely as he had all the needed paper work to do operations and the two parties are now at peace.
