An artisanal miner from Shurugwi is currently admitted at  Claybank Hospital in Gweru after his left leg was sawed off for flirting with a colleague’s wife.

This was after a self styled prophet told him that his wife was cheating on him with a colleague.

Charles Chingwaya (29)  then took an axe and chopped off Simon Vingirai’s leg in a fit of rage.

Charles Chingwaya (29), Philbert Chingwaya (22) and Tafadzwa Rundoro (31) appeared before Shurugwi  facing attempted murder

They were remanded in prison on the 29th of June 2020.

The trio accused  Vingirai of having an affair with Charles Chingwaya’s wife.

According to the evidence by the state on May 29, 2020 the trio went to Adare Farm in Gutsaruzhinji area Shurugwi where they found Vingirai drinking at Chief Ndanga’s bar.

They angrily confronted him and accused him of infidelity.

The argument quickly got heated and  Charles Chingwaya struck Vingirai on the head with an axe.

He struck him three times close to the knee and his leg was cut off.

According to the state, the trio took turns to use the axe against the complainant.

When questioned, Charles Chingwaya admitted  in court that he did not have any evidence that his wife was involved in an extra-marital affair with Vingirai.

He said he was acting upon the information he was given by a self-styled prophet.

The level of violence in mining towns has reached unprecedented levels with most artisanal miners choosing to take justice in their own hands.

Mining towns are rampant with crimes like murder, assault and sexual assault.