Online Reporter
Peter Matika , [email protected]
AN 18-year-old man has been charged with tampering with a corpse after he allegedly searched a dead body for valuables, stealing a mobile phone and a wallet.
Brandon Sifenyang was not asked to enter a plea when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mrs Eva Matura, who remanded him in custody until 10 July.
Mrs Matura remarked that the incident had sparked public debate concerning the moral values and upbringing of young people within the community.
Prosecuting, Ms Nkanyezi Xaba told the court that Sifenyang, of Riverside suburb in Bulawayo, allegedly committed the offence on June 25, after stumbling upon a corpse at the intersection of 6th Avenue and Herbert Chitepo Avenue.
Instead of reporting the matter or showing respect for the deceased, Sifenyang allegedly rummaged through the body’s pockets and stole a mobile phone and wallet before fleeing the scene.
He was later arrested after onlookers reported the incident to the police.
Ms Xaba noted that although cases involving tampering with corpses are relatively rare, they can have a profound emotional impact on the families of the deceased and the wider community.
She added that the case has raised serious concerns about the lack of respect shown by Sifenyang towards the deceased and their family. The cause of death of the deceased has not yet been disclosed.
