GWANDA – Mining consultant Dave Thompson was on Thursday taken into police custody following his arrest on charges of intimidation with a firearm.
Thompson later appeared before a Gwanda Magistrate who released him on bail pending trial.
This comes after Thompson allegedly threatened to shoot property assessors who were inspecting a property where he was resident.
Thompson could also face a further charge of hate crime after he was said to have used racial slur to offend and degrade Tafadzwa Bondoro by calling him a baboon.
Thompson, who has previously owned and operated a mining enterprise in Matabeleland South, was remanded out of custody and is set to appear in court again on February 14 for routine remand.
Bondoro reported the incident to the police, saying, “On November 26, 2022, Kevin Satiya and I approached the D Thompson residence gate (Stand 584, 1st Avenue Extension) and I rang the bell.”
“A male person appeared from the outside and asked how he could assist. l asked if we could see Mr. Dave Thompson. The attendant entered the property through the gate into the residence.
“Mr. Thompson came down to the gate from his front door and identified himself. He was holding a rifle. He said ‘l came with this because l was told there are ‘baboons’ by the gate that is why l am here with this rifle in hand.’
“Mr. Thompson’s use of the word ‘baboons’ and the tone of his voice made it absolutely clear to us what he meant – a racial slur. I felt insulted and degraded as a result of his word ‘baboons,” Bondoro told the police.
“Mr. Thompson then asked if there was a problem. I responded that there was no problem at all. He then asked how he could help us. I advised him that we were from F&T (Vubachikwe mine) and wished to ask what time would be convenient for Rawson, a firm of professional property appraisers, to complete a property evaluation of the stand as it was part of F&T’s real estate holdings in Gwanda.
“Mr Thompson then responded: ‘You should never worry about this property it is on a long lease agreement, you can go to any other property but not this one and Fenton’s property.’
“He then said we shouldn’t bother coming back at his place ‘or else,’ he then shook his rifle looking at it and then looked at us in a way that was clearly saying ‘he will shoot us.’
“As a result of Mr Dave Thompson’ actions we felt and believed our lives were at risk and we hurriedly departed. I was very unnerved and felt fear for my physical well-being and my life. Kevin was in a state of shock and completely traumatized. Mr Dave Thompson did not have any right to act in the manner he did.”
Zim Morning Post will follow the matter to its conclusion through regular updates from our team which we have deployed on the ground in Gwanda.
