Police officers evict 800 miners from disputed site in Taita Taveta : The Standard

Hundreds of illegal miners were yesterday evicted from a disputed mine following a court order. According to the police and senior officials in the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, about 800 illegal miners had invaded the mine located at the vast Kasigau Ranch in Voi sub-county. Armed security officers engaged the miners in running battles for several hours before they managed to flush them out. One suspect who defied police orders to leave was arrested and would be arraigned today.

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Ranch officials said the police arrived at the scene on Friday morning and engaged the miners in running battles up to yesterday when they managed to rid the disputed area of illegal occupants. Scores of the suspects were injured as they engaged with the police who burnt down their makeshift structures. The police are reported to be investigating a senior retired security officer and senior managers of an NGO operating in the area for allegedly inciting youths to invade private property.

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Voi Sub-County Directorate of Criminal Investigations Officer (DCIO) Samson Kimtum said the security personnel were implementing an order issued by a Voi court. “The suspects were aware of the impending eviction exercise because they were represented by a lawyer when the orders not to interfere with the disputed area were issued in court last month,” said the DCIO yesterday.

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Mr Kimtum said the suspects had also removed their belongings when the police arrived. The illegal group had earlier vowed not to leave the disputed area, claiming it was their ancestral land. “We are still keeping vigil to avert any lawlessness in the area,” said Kimtum. County’s Regional Mining Officer David Irungu said the miners had illegally been using explosives to mine, thereby endangering their lives. He said the use of explosive triggered the collapse of a mining site that killed two people and injured five at the ranch last week. “The small-scale miners illegally used dynamite to extract minerals. We have recovered detonating cord which the miners used to blow off rocks to extract minerals,” said Mr Irungu.

Court injunction

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Last month, the Voi Law Courts issued an injunction to all parties concerned to stop interfering with the disputed area until a case involving it is determined. The court ordered a gemstone dealer and 26 others, including their agents, to immediately vacate the disputed mine. This is after the owner of the mine Lilian Mercy Mutua obtained orders barring Grace Wambu Kimotho and other respondents from occupying her mining fields until the case she had filed is heard and determined. The investor filed the case against the defendants on June 25, this year. In her orders served to Voi Sub-County Police Commander for implementation, Principal Magistrate Dorcas Wangeci ordered the defendants to vacate the site pending the hearing and determination of the suit.

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Related Topics

Directorate of Criminal Investigationsillegal minersMinistry of Mines and PetroleumPrincipal Magistrate Dorcas Wangeci