…attack mirrors growing Chinese abuse of locals

A 48-year-old Empress Mine employee who was savagely attacked by his Chinese boss on Novermber 19, 2022, allegedly after being found asleep on duty, suffered permanent injuries on his testicles, medical records show.

Onias Murada was kicked into his genitals by his Chinese supervisor Ian Yang, who is also known as Cheng Zhung Xin, resulting in several weeks of hospitalization at Makurira Makurira Memorial Clinic in Masvingo

Murada, who now stays at his home in Kwekwe, receives follow-up medical treatment in Masvingo where he has to travel regularly but with no support whatsoever from Cheng as an individual or from Empress Mine as a company.

Empress Mine, which is owned by Ming Ching Sino Africa Investments, is located in Mashava a few kilometres off the road to Bulawayo.

Murada told EnviroPress that the company has failed to honour its pledge to support expenses for his medical treatment and the bosses no longer cooperate with him in any way.

A medical affidavit signed by Dr Simbarashe Jena of Makurira Memorial Clinic, and submitted to Mashava Police on December 27, 2022, shows that Murada’s injuries are permanent.

“I examined the person, Onius Murada on allegations of assault, during the course of my foregoing examination I noted the following list of injuries; bladder injury confirmed by an ultrasound scan, clinically complaining of lower abdominal pain and backache. The force applied was severe.

“The injuries sustained are serious. There is permanent injury. As a result of the foregoing examination therefore concluded that there is no danger to life,” said Dr Jena in the affidavit.

Earlier on December 09, Dr Kasamba from the same hospital had written that the injuries sustained were serious.

“There is a possibility of permanent injury-inability to empty the bladder,” wrote Dr Kasamba before Dr Jena upgraded them to ‘permanent’ following subsequent tests which showed that there will be no reversal to the damage done.

“I am in pain and I need to go for regular review yet the company has reneged on its promises to meet the costs. I stay in Kwekwe and the reviews are done in Masvingo; all those transport and medication costs. There is a risk of my condition getting worse due to failure to go for reviews,” said Murada, who said he was due for review on January 09, 2023.

Murada said he needed to concentrate on his recovery first before he could explore his legal options to get fair compensation.

In a Mashava police report dated December 20, 2022, on the court outcome, Yang pleaded guilty to the assault case and was fined ZWL$10 000 which translates to just under US10.

“An arrest was made and the accused has been found guilty and sentenced to ZWL$10 000 fine/ 40 months imprisonment. Four months wholly suspended for five years,” reads the report.

Meanwhile, there are allegations that some police officers and court officials in Mashava are making a killing from Empress Mine by demanding endless bribes to suppress the case.

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