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A RUSAPE family’s fight over who has the right to bury a relative, Justice Justen Murungu, who died in the UK on June 5, spilled into the High Court.
His wife, Lydia Dambaza, son, Athanasius Murungu, and brother-in-law, Rickmore Dambaza, want him buried at Glen Forest Cemetery.
His mother wants him buried in Murungu Village, under Chief Makoni, in Rusape.
After failing to resolve the feud, Justice’s mother, Gogo Patricia Murungu (81), sought legal advice, and her lawyer, Moffat Makuvatsine, filed an urgent chamber application in the High Court.
Gogo Murungu said she was surprised by her daughter-in-law’s behaviour since customarily the family of the deceased is responsible for the burial.
High Court judge, Justice Neville Wamambo, upheld Gogo Murungu’s application and ordered that Justice’s body should not be buried at Glen Forest.
The judge also ordered Nyaradzo Funeral Services not release his body to the wife, son, and brother-in-law unless accompanied by the mother.
Gogo Murungu’s lawyer said in the application:
“My applicant appreciates that she no longer has many years of life, but she will be at peace knowing that her son has been laid to rest at a place where his father is and where she will also be laid to rest.
“She also said it was her son’s wish to be buried where his father and kinsmen were buried,” said Makuvatsine.
She prayed to the court that Lydia, her brother and son be interdicted from burying Justice at Glen Forest Cemetery.
Lydia argued that she had a closer bond with her husband and should be entrusted with the responsibility of organising his burial.
She said she is the one who repatriated his body to Zimbabwe.
Her brother, Rickmore, stood in her corner stating that Justice’s family did not contribute anything towards repatriation of the body.
Sources told H-Metro that Lydia cancelled the Nyaradzo funeral policy soon after Justice Wamambo’s ruling and said she would not attend her husband’s burial.
She was saddened by the court’s decision and was also not happy that her in-laws did not allow her husband’s body to pass through their matrimonial home in Marlborough.
Some mourners are gathered in Glen View at Gogo Murungu’s home, while others are in Marlborough.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter