EnviroPress Reporter
A Kwekwe man who suffered grievous injuries on his genitals after he was savagely kicked by a Chinese supervisor at a mine he worked for has elicited legal support to sue the company for US$106 000 in damages.
Onious Murada was employed by Mashava-based Empress Mine as a rigger/driller when Ian Yang attacked him using safety boots after finding him taking his routine nap while on duty towards midnight on November 19, 2022.
The gold mine is owned by Ming Chang Sino Africa, a Chinese company which runs many other mining concerns in Zimbabwe.
Murada has since received support from the Legal Resources Foundation (LRF) which has helped him write to the company to seek fair compensation or face a lawsuit.
“We are reliably informed by our client Onious Murada that on the 19th of November, he was assaulted by one Ian Yang a supervisor with your company. Our client is employed as a Rigger with your mine in Mashava, Masvingo. On the day in question our client has been working non-stop for 24 hours.
“He had become tired and fallen asleep. Ian Yang arrived soon after and started assaulting our client. The assault occurred whilst our client was working and in the course of his employment.
“Mr. Ian Yang has been since convicted and was fined for the assault in the criminal court. Our client suffered several injuries which include bladder injury, lower and abdominal pain and backache. The injuries were rated as serious and it was indicated by a medical doctor that there is permanent injury in his bladder and urine tract.
“Our client, after the injury, has not been able to work and still needs medical assistance. He was also humiliated by the actions of Mr.Yang. Furthermore our client is still your employee and has not been receiving his salary which is now three months in arrears.
“Our client is open for negotiations. We hope you comply with our demands or further legal action will be taken against you without notice,” reads the letter which is addressed to Empress Mine.
The letter states that over the past three months, the company has accrued salary arrears to the tune of US$1 200, while Murada himself has suffered US$160 in medical expenses so far.
The lawyers also estimate that future medical assistance for Murada, who now needs the services of neurologists in Harare, will be US$5 000.
Murada demands payment of US$100 000 from Empress Mine to compensate him for his extreme pain and suffering.
As a result of the attack, Murada suffers abdominal pain, backache and urine retraction and he is required to go for a scan.
EnviroPress conducted Empress Mine manager Richman Zvabvirepi who dismissed Murada’s case as no longer relevant.
“We are done with that issue and it’s no longer relevant news and I wonder why you are still pursuing it. We issued responses to many media houses a long time back so I can no longer entertain you on that one.
“The person who assaulted him was arrested and fined, and has now been deported back to his country. It’s no longer a story,” claimed Zvabvirepi.
He refused to entertain questions regarding the company’s decision to prematurely stop paying Murada’s medical bills, as well as failure to pay him his salary over the past three months.
This project was made possible through a partnership with the Southern Africa Trust. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent that of the Trust or its associates. www.southernafricatrust.org
