Canadian firm executives guilty of involuntary manslaughter over Burkina Faso mine deaths

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) - A court in Burkina Faso on Wednesday handed down suspended sentences to two executives working for Canadian mining firm Trevali after finding them guilty of involuntary manslaughter over the deaths of eight miners at a zinc mine in April.

The miners were reported missing on April 16 in the Perkoa zinc mine following heavy rains in Sanguie province, some 100 kilometers (60 miles) west of the capital Ouagadougou.

The last body was found in June after more than two months of searching. Six of the victims were Burkina Faso nationals, while one was from Tanzania and another from Zambia.

Mine manager Hein Frey was given a 24-month suspended sentence, while Daryl Christensen, the director of Trevali’s subcontractor Byrnecut Burkina, was handed a 12-month suspended sentence, according to local daily LeFaso.

Frey has also been fined $3,000 and Christensen $1,500.

Relatives of some of the victims filed a case accusing the executives of carrying out mining activities without legal authorization, violating requirements of occupational safety and health in mines and quarries, endangering lives, and failing to assist people in danger.

Abdoul Moussa Sanou, a miner, said the sentences were “quite lenient.”

However, Antoine Bama, a spokesman for the victims’ families, hailed the ruling.

“It is an honor to our fallen brothers. We trusted our justice system from the beginning and I welcome the verdict,” he was quoted as saying.