Free sex at thief's funeral

THERE was FREE sex galore in Mbare on Monday and Tuesday nights as prostitutes mourned a serial thief.

They described the late thief, who succumbed to tuberculosis, as a sex maniac.

The infamous thief, Masiyas Mesiyas, is also said to be the one who stole Jamaican artiste, Elephant Man's cellphone when he came into the country a few years ago.

Mbare residents say Mesiyas was in the same league with the late thief Borris who died near Zindoga Shopping Centre in a speed chase with police.

The funeral was themed 'Birwai, Sv***ai' as thieving, drug abuse and sex topped the funeral wake.

Sex workers said Mesiyas was their regular client.

"Mesiyas was a well-known thief but one of the things we have known him for as sex workers in Mbare is that he loved sex and was our regular client.

"We had no money to contribute in planning the funeral arrangements, but we offered what we know best and male mourners who came for the funeral could get sex for free," said one of the hookers who identified herself as Busi.

Family spokesperson Brandon Chikukwa confirmed that mourners at the funeral were being treated to free sex by hookers.

"I have never seen anything like what I witnessed from Monday night when my uncle died.

"People were celebrating his life in different ways, as they were indulging sex in cars and at night, people would just go anywhere private and start engaging in sex.

"The service was being offered by the prostitutes for free to everyone who attended, we just hope they were wearing condoms.

"As a family we do not condone what was happening but there was nothing we could do because he was a people's person.

"They were doing what they thought was best to pay their last respects to him," said Chikukwa.

• MESIYAS BANDIT
Mesiyas has been described as a notorious thief who earned a living through pick-pocketing.

Renowned producer Fantan from Chill Spot Records in Mbare said though Mesiyas was a thief, the Mbare community respected him since he didn't steal from his own.

"He was a thief and that is not a secret, our studio at Chillspot is at Matarererini Flats in M bare and that is where he used to stay but there is no day that he stole anything from us.

"At Chillspot, we have lost a brother and a neighbour, and may his soul rest in peace," he said.

Chikukwa said Masiyas started stealing at a tender age.

"Truth be told, my uncle was tactful when it came to stealing; that is what made him to be so infamous. All these people you see here knew him for that.

"He has countless theft cases at Matapi Police Station and some of the cases are actually still pending.

"He started stealing when he was in Grade Five and areas that he used to steal at are mainly at musical shows, at weddings, at Gulf Complex as well as at Mupedza Nhamo Flea Market.

"As a family, we accepted him as he was and the community had also accepted him.

"I have also seen a number of people he had stolen from who also attended the funeral," he said.

• ELEPHANT MAN'S CELL PHONE
Brandon went on to claim that Mesiyas at one time stole Jamaican artiste Elephant man's cell phone when he came into the country.

"If you remember some few years back, when Elephant Man came into the country, there were reports that his cellphone was stolen.

"It was my uncle who had stolen it and I personally saw the phone with my own eyes. I was not there when he stole it but I knew it was Elephant Man's cellphone because of the messages and pictures that were in the phone," he said.

• MESIYAS CASKET STOLEN
The official vehicle that was carrying Masiyas' casket arrived at Granville (Mbudzi) Cemetery empty after a group of thieves who used to work with Mesiyas 'stole' his casket and put it in their vehicle.

"Stealing is the lifestyle that we have been living with Mesiyas; we stole his casket just to showcase what he used to do," said one of the mourners.

• CONGESTION
Business came to a standstill as mourners thronged the Gulf Complex near Market Square with the casket bearing the body of the late Mesiyas.

There was also congestion at the roundabout along Beatrice road as mourners blocked traffic. The mourners were mainly Mbare residents, retailers from Gulf Complex as well as Mupedzanhamo where Mesiyas used to do his pickpocketing business. Lice Katsande from Gulf Complex said she wanted to witness Mesiyas being buried.

"I cannot tell you how I am feeling whether happy or sad but all I can tell you is I want to see for myself this guy being buried because I am one of the people he once stole from," she said.