Sons violate dad’s grave

09 Sep, 2022 - 00:09 0 Views
Sons violate dad’s grave The family allegedly established a graveyard in their fields, shunning a community cemetery

The ManicaPost

 

Tanyaradzwa Mujati
Weekender Reporter

THREE Mutare brothers allegedly ganged up to violate their father’s grave to sabotage the unveiling of his tombstone.

Ngonidzashe, Munyaradzi and Upenyu Kutsirai argued that they deserved to be part of the ceremony, but their uncle, Rugare Kutsirai, had organised the ceremony behind their backs.

This came to light when Rugare applied for a protection order against the three brothers at Mutare Civil Court.

Ms Ivy Musavengana presided over the matter.

In his application, Rugare stated that Ngonidzashe, Munyaradzi and Upenyu destroyed their father’s tombstone before the unveiling ceremony.

He said the family got the shock of their lives when they were greeted with a yawning grave just before the tombstone unveiling ceremony.

Rugare said family members trekked the three shoeprints from the gravesite and they were led to Munyaradzi’s homestead.

“On August 10, Ngonidzashe, Munyaradzi and Upenyu went to their father’s grave and violated it.

“They removed the tombstone and destroyed it. We woke up to find the grave open.

“We followed the shoeprints and they led us to Munyaradzi’s homestead. We called the police and they are still carrying out their investigations,” said Rugare.

He said Ngonidzashe later phoned his sister to confess that they were the ones who had destroyed the tombstone.

“They are also making phone calls to threaten us.

“They are threatening to assault us and kill my wife. We are now living in fear of my nephews,” he said.

However, the three brothers denied the allegations saying they only got to know about the tombstone unveiling ceremony through social media.

Upenyu said Rugare barred him from visiting their his rural home in 2018, adding that he has not set foot there ever since then.

“I was in the dark about my late father’s memorial service and the unveiling of the tombstone at our family home. Rugare did not communicate with us. He barred me from visiting our rural home saying I was cursed,” said Upenyu.

He added: “In 2018, I went home while bed-ridden. I pleaded with our uncle (Rugare) to intervene and lead us to a spiritual healer for a solution to my ailment as I believed that it was spiritual. I had consulted different specialists, but my condition continued deteriorating.

“My uncle chased me away and barred me from the farm, saying I should never set foot on our grandparents’ homestead. I moved to Rusape and ever since then I have not visited my grandparents’ homestead, neither have I seen Rugare.

“Ngonidzashe has been struggling with a strange ailment. He roars like a lion when possessed, but our uncle is running away from his responsibility, hence this application for a protection order. I think he has a hand in the misfortunes that are befalling our family,” said Upenyu.

Ngonidzashe chipped in and said he was in Harare when the grave was violated.

He also accused Rugare of abandoning his late brother’s family.

Ngonidzashe added that Rugare had no right to conduct the ceremony without consulting the deceased’s children.

“Our father died in 1997. Rugare looked after us till we were all grown up. Surprisingly, he now treats us as outcasts.

“The issue here is not about the tombstone unveiling ceremony. We need to seek spiritual guidance so that we can solve the challenges we are facing as a family, but our uncle is refusing to play ball.

“Upenyu has married on several occasions but the marriages are always short-lived. The women just leave him for no reason. Who does not want to have a decent family?,” said Ngonidzashe.

He also said he was not involved in the destruction of the tombstone.

“I am possessed by our family’s ancestral spirit. I can roar like a lion, with the sound going for more than 15km.

“We need to appease the spirit that possesses me. Rugare and other relatives used to conduct such rituals in the past, but they have since stopped.”

He added: “Rugare argues that the spirit that possesses me comes from the people that I murdered in Chiadzwa when I was a diamond panner, but that is not true.

“Anyway if the protection order will help us solve our problems, then so be it. You may grant the protection order,” said Ngonidzashe.

He went on to roar like a lion.

Ms Musavengana granted the protection order in Rugare’s favour.

 

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