A 29 years old man of Kitwe’s Kandabwe community has died in a five meter pit at Konkola Copper Mines-KCM slug dump after its walls collapsed on him.
Raphael Mwansa while in the company of a friend, Gift Musonda also aged 29 forced entry into the protected slug dump at Nkana Mine Plant, South Ore Body (S.O.B.) in Wusakile Township on the outskirts of Kitwe and illegally begun mining in the pit.
While the duo dug for minerals the pit suddenly curved in and buried Mwansa while Musonda managed to escape and reported the incident to authorities at the mine.
A KCM mine police officer Humphrey Shakalyata is reported to have retrieved the dead body using an excavator.
Copperbelt Province Police Commanding Officer Peacewell Mweemba has confirmed the death of Mwansa whose mouth had a soiled cavity and sustained bruises on the rear left side of his body.
The body of the deceased has since been deposited into Kitwe Teaching Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem.
By Lovemore Sondashi