News / National
Dead woman's relatives abduct corpse
20 Mar 2012 at 06:19hrs | Views
THERE was drama at a funeral wake in Tshapfutshe village in Beitbridge when relatives of a dead woman descended on their in-laws' homestead and took their daughter's body for burial at their rural home in Chiredzi.
According to witnesses, the incident, which lasted for about 15 minutes, occurred on Sunday at about 6am at the homestead where mourners had gathered for the burial of Barbara Mahlekete.
"It happened so fast such that we were also left shocked when six men arrived in their cars before they walked into the yard in military style and without even greeting anyone, they went straight to one of the huts where they kicked the door open.
"While inside, they grabbed the widower by his trousers and fished him out of the hut.
"They started wrestling with him as they shouted obscenities and demanding that he give them the body so that they could bury it at their rural home," said Mr Lameck Nguluvhe, a witness.
The widower, Mr Tererai Mushipe's mother, saved the day when she pleaded with Mahlekete's relatives to let go of her son and collect the body.
The six men then proceeded to the hut where the body was temporarily kept while waiting for burial later in the day. They took it to their car and drove off at high speed leaving mourners stunned.
The body was taken to Save in Chiredzi where the dead woman's family had reportedly made burial arrangements.
"It was so embarrassing and I believe what these people did is taboo to our African culture.
"Even if people had their own differences it was not proper to display them in that manner. Everyone was really shocked because the grave had already been dug," said another witness, who declined to be named.
Soon after the fracas, one of the elders later addressed the mourners after which they filled the empty grave, before they ate the food, which had been prepared for the occasion.
They then departed to their homes.
According to a close source, the two families had a long standing dispute in which the dead woman's relatives accused their son-in-law of neglecting their daughter.
"There has always been a misunderstanding between the two families such that even prior to the fateful day, they were conducting parallel funeral services.
"The deceased woman's relatives had gathered at a house in Beitbridge while the in-laws were holding the funeral wake at Tshapfutshe village," said the source.
According to witnesses, the incident, which lasted for about 15 minutes, occurred on Sunday at about 6am at the homestead where mourners had gathered for the burial of Barbara Mahlekete.
"It happened so fast such that we were also left shocked when six men arrived in their cars before they walked into the yard in military style and without even greeting anyone, they went straight to one of the huts where they kicked the door open.
"While inside, they grabbed the widower by his trousers and fished him out of the hut.
"They started wrestling with him as they shouted obscenities and demanding that he give them the body so that they could bury it at their rural home," said Mr Lameck Nguluvhe, a witness.
The widower, Mr Tererai Mushipe's mother, saved the day when she pleaded with Mahlekete's relatives to let go of her son and collect the body.
The six men then proceeded to the hut where the body was temporarily kept while waiting for burial later in the day. They took it to their car and drove off at high speed leaving mourners stunned.
The body was taken to Save in Chiredzi where the dead woman's family had reportedly made burial arrangements.
"It was so embarrassing and I believe what these people did is taboo to our African culture.
"Even if people had their own differences it was not proper to display them in that manner. Everyone was really shocked because the grave had already been dug," said another witness, who declined to be named.
Soon after the fracas, one of the elders later addressed the mourners after which they filled the empty grave, before they ate the food, which had been prepared for the occasion.
They then departed to their homes.
According to a close source, the two families had a long standing dispute in which the dead woman's relatives accused their son-in-law of neglecting their daughter.
"There has always been a misunderstanding between the two families such that even prior to the fateful day, they were conducting parallel funeral services.
"The deceased woman's relatives had gathered at a house in Beitbridge while the in-laws were holding the funeral wake at Tshapfutshe village," said the source.
Source - TC
