Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
THE body of a slain artisanal miner, which has been stuck at Kwekwe District Hospital mortuary remains uncollected, 18 months later, with his family refusing to collect it, as they demand justice and answers on the circumstances surrounding his death.
Munyaradzi Dube from Njelele area in Gokwe South, who at the time of his death was 31 years old, was allegedly killed for ritual purposes in August 2023.
His mutilated body was discovered 21 days later in an abandoned mine shaft in Donzani Village in Zhombe under Chief Samambwa.
The body was discovered with his tongue, left eye, and hair from the back of its head missing.
At one point, relatives of the deceased dumped his body outside the home of one of the accused perpetrators, where it spent nine days, before police intervened and moved it to the hospital mortuary.
The body never started decomposing in the process.
After the post-mortem, the deceased’s friend reportedly went into a trance and started behaving like Dube as they were taking the remains to Gokwe for burial.
Despite earnest appeals from Government representatives, the family remains resolute in their stance.
Traditional leaders, Chief Njelele, from where Dube hails from, and Chief Samambwa, from where the alleged perpetrator lives, have engaged in fruitless deliberations to broker a resolution.
Chief Njelele in an interview last week confirmed that Dube’s remains are still at Kwekwe District Hospital mortuary — still awaiting burial.
“It’s now like one year, seven months and counting and we are still waiting for Dube’s family to bury him. We have tried talking to them but to no avail but we won’t stop,” he said.
Chief Samambwa said he had not heard anything with regards to new developments in a long time.
“We are supposed to meet with Chief Njelele soon to map a way forward. Otherwise, I am told the body is still in the mortuary in Kwekwe,” he said.
Gokwe South District Development Co-ordinator (DDC) Netsai Mushauri also confirmed that the Dube family was still holding on to their guns and refusing to bury their relative.
“I am involved because the deceased is supposed to be buried in a village under my jurisdiction. However, it’s sad to note that when we call for a meeting to discuss the matter, some concerned parties are not coming. So that is affecting the whole process,” she said.
Kwekwe District Development Co-ordinator Mr Fortune Mpungu — who is also involved since Dube’s body is being kept at Kwekwe District Hospital said they have been asked by the hospital to organise for the removal of the body from the mortuary.
“Authorities at Kwekwe District Hospital have asked us to collect the body, but it’s not possible since the people who are supposed to do that don’t want to be involved. We hope to meet and finalise the matter very soon,” he said.
Dube’s family insists that the burial cannot proceed until all missing body parts are recovered, citing cultural and spiritual beliefs.
Kwekwe District Hospital Medical superintendent Dr Bruce Mhondiwa said they have kept Dube’s body at the mortuary for over a year now.
“The families have failed to find each other, I guess. We are exploring other avenues to bring the matter to a close,” he said.
Dube’s grave, which had been prepared at Chidoma Village has since been closed on the instructions of traditional leaders.
derick.khumalo