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Dredge owners to seek restitution in court
the men from Figuera mining, who are in fear for their lives
– attackers still at large -edited
Dredge owners Mario and Alisha Figuera are expected to go to court to recoup their losses following last week Sunday’s attack on their mining operation.
But the men who carried out the daring attack are yet to be apprehended, despite the couple’s insistence that they are still in the camp.
The attack, which took place at their mining camp in district H45, Konawaruk, is alleged to have been orchestrated by a rival mining concern, on whose land they are prospecting.
According to the couple, they were allowed to prospect on the land until rumours of the land’s economical value caused the other mining operators to become envious and encroach on the land.
They were subsequently granted an injunction from the Chief Justice Ian Chang barring the rival operators from making any encroachment on the land until May 18th, when the case pertaining to the land will be heard in the High Court.
However, on Sunday last, four gunmen, dressed in security uniforms and armed with shotguns, went on a rampage in the camp, shooting at any mining equipment within sight and causing an estimated $60Million in damages.
Mario Figuera stands in the way of one of the gunmen
They also wounded Figuera’s excavator operator, Ray Murray, requiring him to be air dashed to the city for further treatment.
The couple says they have no confidence that the police will conduct a professional investigation, since there appears to be collusion between the perpetrators and some police officers.
According to them, the police have promised that the men will report to the Mahdia Police Station, with their weapons and then be taken into custody, rather than ranks being sent in to get them from the camp.
The Figueras, who had operated Wonderland Tours, are having a hard time coming to grips with the fact that the attack has left their livelihood in tatters.
However, they expressed the hope that under a new administration, a level playing field would be created, making it possible for them to re-open Wonderland Tours.
“Is twenty five years we own Wonderland Tours. We took it over after my father died,” she said.
According to her, they were first forced to leave the tourism business, due to victimization.
She finally decided to venture into mining, only to find more problems.
Stating that it would take approximately $20Million just to get the operation back off the ground, the couple is adamant that the matter has to go to court.
“This has to go to court. We have to get payment for the economical losses, as well as the psychological damages, because my men are having post traumatic stress.”
The case is scheduled to be heard before Chief Justice Chang on Monday.
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