Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
IN a devastating incident that left the usually tranquil Zimunya community dumbfounded, a local man’s body was exhumed by the police in the dead of the night last Friday, just a day after being laid to rest.
The now late Blessing Mupeteya (41) was allegedly brutally attacked by a vendor, Linet Chawafambira (39) in Penhalonga on August 29, an incident that ultimately led to his death.
Mupeteya allegedly succumbed to the injuries six days later at his rural home at Putsa Village in Zimunya.
A sombre atmosphere in Putsa Village was palpable when The Manica Post visited the mourning Mupeteya family on Tuesday afternoon.
Neighbours and family members were struggling to come to terms with the unfolding events.
The late Mupeteya’s widow, Ms Irene Chitsiku, who was still trying to come to terms with her husband’s death, said he (Blessing) took the secret that he was bludgeoned by Chawafambira in Penhalonga for to the grave.
She argued that had he shared what happened in Penhalonga with her or any other family member, he would have received the necessary medical attention.
Instead, when he arrived in Zimunya, writhing in pain, Mupeteya told his wife and three children that he had fallen in a trench while carrying a bag of gold ore.
“Had he told us the truth that he was assaulted in Penhalonga, maybe we would be telling a different story today. However, he hid the truth from everyone; even his sister whom he stayed with in Penhalonga while at work. Maybe it was because he did not want us to worry much. He was in excruciating pain and I had to bath him. He died as we were preparing to take him to the clinic,” she said, tears streaming down her face.
Mupeteya’s body was exhumed a day after his burial, after his friends in Penhalonga told his sister that he was assaulted by Chawafambira.
A police report was subsequently made, leading to an exhumation order by the police.
Mupeteya’s sister reportedly tried to warn the family not to hurriedly bury him, but poor network connectivity led to the hasty burial. Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the incident, revealing that Mupeteya was allegedly drunk, and repeatedly called Chawafambira by her nickname, leading to the fatal attack.
“Chawafambira was later refrained from further assaulting Blessing by Trevor Basera. Five days later, Mupeteya went to Putsa Village where he complained of painful sides each time he coughed. He later died before seeking medical attention. When a police report was made, the body had already been buried, leading to its exhumation,” said Assistant Inspector Chinyoka.
Chawafambira appeared in court on Wednesday, facing murder charges. She appeared before Mutare provincial magistrate, Ms Anniah Ndiraya, who remanded her in custody to September 25.
She was advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
Ms Sharon Chibvongodze prosecuted.
Putsa village head, Mr Pomerai Muwandi, claimed they had no idea that Mupeteya was a murder victim, and quickly buried him because of cultural beliefs and lack of mortuary facilities nearby.
“We could not allow the body to spend a second night at home before burial as it is taboo. According to our culture, a dead person cannot spend two nights at home. A breach will see the surviving family being fined heavily. Had we known that he was a suspected murder victim, we would have waited for the arrival of the police,” he said.
They have since filled back the empty grave with soil, stating that when the body is finally brought back, it will be buried in a new grave.
“The old coffin has already been burnt, and a new grave will be prepared for the late Mupeteya. The old grave will be reserved for the future burial of another family member,” said Mr Muwandi.
Mupeteya’s neighbour, Mr Itayi Mubare said while the alleged senseless brutal beating was a shame, what pained them the most was the night exhumation of their friend’s body.
“Blessing was a good man. He did not deserve to die like that, or to be exhumed at night. We understand that the police were doing their job, and they had to go back and forth trying to inform our headman as well as Chief Zimunya of the exhumation, before doing it. They also respect our culture and traditions. That is how they ended up exhuming the body at night,” he said.
The family, still reeling from the shock of the exhumation, is demanding justice for their loved one.
Mrs Edna Nota Mupeteya said the pain of losing Blessing was unbearable. She wept uncontrollably throughout the interview, unable to comprehend the tragedy.
Mrs Mupeteya said after realising what she had done, Chawafambira was cornered by Penhalonga residents who wanted to take her to the police.
She pleaded to go home, and collect a jersey before surrendering herself to the police.
Hours passed, and she failed to return. With mounting frustration, locals went to report the matter to the police, only to find out that she had already turned herself in.
Mrs Mupeteya said she was the one who authorised the hasty burial after an order from the village head that the corpse could not spend two days at home.
The family was still waiting for the post-mortem to be conducted in Harare at the time of going to print.
