Princess’ all-white burial delayed

Arron Nyamayaro

THE burial of four-year-old Princess Shoko, who was murdered and dumped in a stream at the beginning of this month, has been postponed due to a pending post-mortem.

The planned all-white burial church service at the Anglican Cathedral in Harare did not take place on Saturday as scheduled, and a new date for the service will be announced.

Nomusa Sibanda, the mother of the girl, said the pathologist is yet to conclude the post-mortem. The accused killers, Nomusa’s sister, Lister Sibanda and her husband, John Zvivi, are being extradited back to Zimbabwe from South Africa, where they fled after the cold-blooded murder.

They are also wanted for injuring Princess’ six-year-old sister.

Princess is expected to be laid to rest at Zororo Cemetery.

“The post-mortem is yet to be concluded. The all-white burial service will be held at a date to be announced after the pathologist hands over the body,” said Nomusa.

Zvivi and Lister were apprehended by members of the public before being surrendered to South African police.

Princess was savagely beaten to death with an electrical cable by Zvivi and Lister, who stashed her body in a 25kg sack before dumping it in a stream along the Harare-Bulawayo Road, between Kuwadzana Extension and Glaudina.

Princess’ body was found by a passer-by on August 2.