Family aborts burial, takes corpse for post-mortem

Nhlalwenhle Ncube
A burial procession was stopped at the last minute when the grieving family gave in to a gut feeling that their departed member had been poisoned.

The deceased, Vincent Kanyani Nyonia��s body instead of being ferried to his final resting place was diverted to Victoria Falls District Hospital mortuary before being sent to Bulawayo for a post-mortem.

Nyoni from Tamuka village Three mysteriously died after complaining of stomach pains.

a�?He had left his homestead going to a parentsa�� meeting at a local school and on his way back, he went for a beer drink at a neighboura��s homestead.

a�?When he got home around 6pm, he started complaining of stomach pains. His wife realising that his condition was deteriorating then decided to rush him to Jambezi Clinic, but he died on the way,a�? said a family source.

It became a widely held suspicion that he had been poisoned even though the funeral wake went ahead.

It was until growing calls that the family decided to stop the funeral.

Matabeleland North acting police spokesperson Sergeant Namatirai Mashona said investigations were underway to ascertain suspicions of poisoning.

a�?I can confirm that we received a report of sudden death and investigations are being done,a�? she said.

Tamuka Village head Mathias Ncube said villagers suspect that Nyoni was poisoned.

a�?The whole village is shocked because he was not sick. No one has been linked to it, but we suspect foul play and would want police to investigate. We will wait for the post mortem results for direction,a�? he said.

Nyonia��s wife Faustina Shoko failed to narrate what transpired.

a�?I am still in shock.a�?