One month later, murder victim’s body awaits postmortem

IN a new twist to the Gokwe artisanal miner murder saga, the late Munyaradzi Dube’s burial has been postponed indefinitely pending a postmortem, which has not yet been conducted, a month after his death.

Initially, the family of the deceased was given the impression that a postmortem had already been conducted which later turned out not to be the case.

Munyaradzi (31), a Gokwe artisanal miner was allegedly murdered for ritual purposes by fellow artisanal miners on 11 August in Donzani Village under Chief Samambwa in Zhombe East.

The body was allegedly recovered with a missing tongue, left eye and some hair from the back of the head. Two weeks ago police took the body from a Muchechetere homestead in Zhombe East where his family had dumped it to Kwekwe district hospital mortuary.

Yesterday Chief Njelele said what shocked fellow villagers is that when everyone thought that Munyaradzi’s body had been taken to Bulawayo for postmortem, the postmortem is yet to be done.

“This Munyaradzi matter has taken a new twist. Now we are told that no postmortem was done.

The family has been waiting for the postmortem results since the time the body was taken by the police,” said Chief Njelele.

He said at one time the family was advised to collect the body from Kwekwe District Hospital.

Chief Njelele said police were now saying they want to take the body to Harare for a postmortem which was supposed to be done in Bulawayo.

“They asked me to tell his relatives to accompany them to Harare for the postmortem,” he said.

Chief Samambwa said Munyaradzi was supposed to have been buried at his uncle’s place two weeks ago but the burial has been delayed by the postmortem.

“He was allegedly murdered for ritual purposes before his body was dumped in a disused mine shaft in Zhombe. I am told they now want to take the body to Harare for a postmortem which we all thought was done in Bulawayo,” he said.

Munyaradzi’s uncle Mr David Dube also said they thought that the postmortem had been conducted.

“Chief Njelele called saying there was a need for us to accompany the police to Harare for a postmortem. It’s shocking because we were advised that his body was being taken to Bulawayo for postmortem. We honestly don’t know what is happening now,” he said.

Last week, Mr Dube told reporters that his nephew was “fighting his own war” as evidenced by the people who are manifesting and speaking on his behalf.

Police Spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said investigations were ongoing.