The plaintiffs in the suit filed against the Toronto-based gold miner on Wednesday at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice say five people were killed by the police, five tortured by them and at least another five were shot at by the authorities, resulting in serious injuries.

...Barrick took operational control of the North Mara Mine in 2019, using a security strategy that involved agreements with the Tanzanian police to have heavily armed police sent to deal with locals entering waste rock areas, said a statement of claim filed by Fiorante and Cory Wanless of Waddell Phillips.

They say Barrick should have known the police had a long history of using “excessive force” because several civil society groups have reported that at least 77 people have been killed by police or security around the mine since 2006.

Barrick spokesperson Kathy du Plessis confirmed the company received the statement of claim on Wednesday, but said it was “riddled with inaccuracies.”

“It also attempts to advance claims against Barrick Gold Corporation in Ontario based on alleged actions of the Tanzanian police, even though Barrick exercises no control or direction of any nature over the Tanzanian police,” she wrote in an email.

“We intend to vigorously defend against these allegations in the appropriate forum.”

Barrick, which the statement of claim calls the second largest gold mining company in the world, has owned the mine that is at the heart of the allegations through subsidiaries since 2016.

...In a press release, corporate watchdog Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID) executive director Anneke Van Woudenberg said Tanzanian communities have been left with little choice but to turn to Canadian courts for justice.

...RAID said its research shows police are an important part of the North Mara mine’s security, though it noted Barrick says the mine doesn’t employ or control the police assigned to it...