A 46-year-old man, James Charles, has died after a mine collapsed on him while he was looking for gold deposits in Lisungwi River in Ntcheu district.
According to Ntcheu Police Station Public Relations Officer Inspector Jacob Khembo, on January 29, 2024, Charles with his friends went to Lisungwi River to extract some gold deposits from alluvial soils along the river bank.
“In the course of carrying out the work, Charles entered in a large pit digging gold and the mine suddenly collapsed on him,” said Khembo.
Khembo said Charles’s friends rescued him from the mine and rushed with him to Phalula Health Centre where he was treated as an outpatient. His health condition later deteriorated while at home and he eventually died.
The matter was reported to Senzani Police Unit who visited the scene with medical personnel from the health facility.
Postmortem conducted showed that death was due to acute anaemia secondary to internal bleeding.
Meanwhile, police in the district are advising the public, especially illegal miners, to consider their safety first before engaging in such risky acts so that they preserve their lives.
Charles hailed from Chimenya Village, Sub Traditional Authority Tsikulamowa in Ntcheu district.
By Maston Kaiya
