Body mix up at Gokwe Hospital

A BEREAVED Gokwe family buried a wrong body and was only alerted of the mistake by the other grieving family which discovered the body swap when they went to collect the remains of their relative from Gokwe District Hospital.

Gokwe South District Development Coordinator, Ms Netsai Mushauri said last Friday, Nicholas Shonhiwa (49) of Zharare Village under Chief Nemangwe was hit by a car at Kamhororo along Gokwe- Chitekete Road.

He was rushed to Gokwe District Hospital where he died on admission and his remains were taken to the hospital’s mortuary.

“On the same day Mr Muchawona Ncube (38) from Musauki Village who was admitted to the same hospital died and his body was also taken to the mortuary,” said Ms Mushauri.

She said on Sunday, Mr Vengesai Shonhiwa and Mr Shepard Mazhinduka who are Nicholas’ relatives came to collect his body from the mortuary and they were assisted by a mortuary attendant at Gokwe District Hospital who mistakenly gave them Mr Ncube’s body.

“The Shonhiwa family went on to bury Mr Ncube’s body at their homestead in Nemangwe as a result of this mix up,” said Ms Mushauri.

She said the mistake was only discovered when Mr Ncube’s relatives from Gomba area under Chief Njelele went to collect his body but could not find it at the mortuary.

She the Ncube family initially refused to collect his body saying they feared it could have been tampered with.
Ms Mushauri said the Ncube family later agreed to bury their relative following a meeting involving Chief Njelele, Chief Nemangwe, members of the two breaved families, Police, Ministry of Health and Child Care and Civil Registry officials.