Two women miners die in Siaya
A crime scene tape.
What you need to know:
- The site owner, Joseph Okoth was arrested and will help police with investigations.
- The incident comes barely four months after another artisanal miner slipped and fell into a mining shaft.
Two artisanal miners died on Saturday after a mine shaft collapsed and covered them at Ochere Village in South East Alego location, Siaya County.
Maureen Anyango aged 28 and Beryl Atieno 40, met their death as they were going about their usual artisanal mining activities.
According to a preliminary investigation by police two other people survived by a whisker and were rushed to Siaya County Referral Hospital.
“Seven miners were at the said site and four persons were covered by a heap of soil underground. One Maureen Anyango George (deceased) a Luo female adult aged 28 years and Beryl Atieno Joel (deceased) a Luo female adult aged 40 years both died on the spot,” read a police incident report released by Kogelo Police Station.
The report further stated, “The ones who escaped unhurt were: Grace Akinyi 29, Moses Omondi Pule 25, and George Odhiambo Odiege. The scene was processed and documented by scenes of crime personnel. The bodies of the deceased were taken to Siaya Referral Hospital for autopsy.”
The site owner, Joseph Okoth was arrested and will help police with investigations.
The incident comes barely four months after another artisanal miner slipped and fell into a mining shaft at Kowiti Siandha A mines in Ramula, in the neighbouring Gem sub-county.
The deceased John Ohala Otiti, 30, met his death in the evening while in the company of other four artisanal miners.
According to East Gem Chief George Salala, the deceased had slipped and fell into the shaft which was filled with water.
“The deceased who had been working with others slid and fell into the shaft together with other four miners. The body was retrieved and taken to Sagam mortuary as the family begins burial arrangements,” he told Nation in an earlier interview.
