MIGORI: A foreigner was arrested in connection with the fatal mining accident in Masara, Migori County, was taken into police custody as an angry mob demanded justice.

The foreign national, who managed the gold mining site, was accused of detonating an unauthorized explosive that led to the death of a 28-year-old local miner.

The tragic incident occurred on Saturday, September 27, 2025, when the site manager intentionally set off an explosion deep inside a tunnel for gold excavation.

According to witnesses, the standard procedure required all miners to evacuate before the blast, and they had done so for safety.

However, moments after the explosion, a miner named Charles Okongo, 28, reportedly rushed back into the dust-choked tunnel, hoping to collect freshly exposed gold-sand.

He quickly suffocated in the confined space. Other miners who followed him discovered him unconscious.

He was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. His body has been moved to a local mortuary pending an autopsy.

News of the death triggered a swift and violent reaction from locals. Dozens of people who frequent the site invaded the mining area, vandalizing property and accusing the management of reckless use of explosives.

A furious mob bayed for the manager’s blood, necessitating a police rescue operation to extract the foreign national from the site.

Police have confirmed his arrest, stating he is being held pending a full investigation into the unauthorized detonation and the resulting death.