Slain miner ‘demands’ June burial

THE body of a slain artisanal miner, which has been stuck at Kwekwe District Hospital mortuary for over eight months following his gruesome murder at Zhombe Business Centre has allegedly demanded to be buried in June.

Meetings to resolve the impasse between the two families over the burial of Munyaradzi Dube, the murdered artisanal miner, had failed to yield positive results.

Dube was allegedly killed for ritual purposes by fellow artisanal miners on August 11 last year, in Donzani Village under Chief Samambwa in Zhombe East.

According to Chief Njelele from Gokwe South, Dube is “refusing to be buried” demanding his missing body parts back.

The corpse was discovered in a disused mine shaft after a 21-day search and it had a missing tongue, left eye and some hair from the back of the head.

The body has been stuck at Kwekwe District Hospital mortuary for the past eight months where it was taken by the police from a Muchechetere homestead in Zhombe where his family had dumped it.

The burial of Dube has been put on hold while families discuss alleged manifestations that they say they are witnessing.

The deceased’s body spent nine days on the doorstep of one of the suspected assailants before the police ferried it to Kwekwe District Hospital mortuary.

After the post-mortem, the deceased’s friend reportedly went into a trance and started behaving like Dube as they were taking the remains to Gokwe for burial.

The warring parties are failing to reach an agreement over Dube’s missing parts as well as the compensation that should be paid to appease the deceased’s spirit.

“It seems we might finally bury Dube because his uncle indicated that his nephew had ordered that his burial be conducted in June,” said Chief Njelele.

He said Dube’s case serves as a lesson to people, especially artisanal miners who seem not to respect the sanctity of human life.

Dube’s maternal grandfather, only identified as Mr Mvurumo, said they remain guided by Dube’s instructions.

“He said he will be buried in June and that’s all I can say,” he said.

Dube’s grave, which had been prepared at Chidoma Village has since been closed on the instructions of traditional leaders.