of the Zijin Mining Group on May 3rd. Chief Inspector Sharveen Koelfat who is a regional police chief of the Police Force Suriname (KPS) explained that no bullets were found in the bodies. “So no bullet holes,” said the regional police chief. The coroner’s report has therefore laid the rumors of a shooting to rest. Koelfat explained that the then Rosebel Gold Mines NV which is currently known as the Zijin Mining Group had given local villagers a special location to look for gold. But the area where the two prospectors died was off-limits to the villagers. The incident took place in the Royal Pit Mine. The regiobal chief stated that his heart goes out to the relatives of the men who lost their lives that day and he also made it clear that “it is dangerous to enter the mine.” “The mine is about 100 meters deep and is not a safe place. You can understand why entering the mine means that you are exposing yourself to injuries,” said

Koelfat who added that earlier this year 4 illegal prospectors almost died in the same area. The regional police chief made it clear that the task force is active to guarantee the general safety in the mine. “When we talk about the general safety that also includes the safety of the illegal prospectors.”