Machete-wielding gold panners seized an AK47 rifle with 15 rounds from a Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority ranger on Tuesday in unclear circumstances.
William Kamanga (35) was seriously injured and is admitted at Mutambara Mission Hospital in Chimanimani East after he was hit in the head with a machete. A Manica Post source said:
The information we are getting is that Kamanga had arrested an illegal gold panner Liberty Musweweshiri.
Kamanga was reportedly in the company of another parks ranger David Tinago when the incident happened.
The arrested illegal panner is said to have wrestled with Kamanga before seven other illegal panners joined the fight.
The incident was confirmed by National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi. He said that police are investigating a case of robbery of a firearm involving a Zimparks official.