Online Reporter
A 38-YEAR-OLD Goromonzi man has been jailed for six months after he dug up his aunt’s grave in a bizarre attempt to recover gold rings he believed she had been buried with.
Challenge Jasi pleaded guilty to violating a grave when he appeared before Murehwa magistrate Panashe Matongo.
Principal Public Prosecutor Mr Anesu Gwena told the court that Jasi exhumed the remains of his aunt, Rosina Dipazhi, who died in 2002 and was buried at Mermaid Pool Cemetery in Chief Chikwaka, Juru.
The court heard that on August 2, Jasi allegedly borrowed a hoe from his nephew at Chipunza Farm, claiming that he intended to collect traditional medicine from the forest.
However, he allegedly proceeded to Mermaid Pool Cemetery, where he dug up his aunt’s grave during the day in search of gold rings which he believed had been buried with her.
After exhuming the grave, Jasi allegedly removed several human remains, including the skull, ribs, tibia and fibula bones, as well as a green skirt and black petticoat.
He packed the remains and clothing into a sack before travelling to Harare.
The following day, August 3, at around 12.40pm, Jasi went to ZRP Highlands to make a follow-up on reports he claimed to have made earlier.
While he was being interviewed, Assistant Inspector Teredzerai Shonhai became suspicious and questioned him about the sack he was carrying.
Jasi subsequently confessed that the sack contained human remains, resulting in his arrest.
The court heard that his actions had resulted in the disturbance and desecration of his aunt’s grave.
