Dead body dumped at 'attacker's' homestead

A FUNERAL turned into theatre art on Thursday when the family of a man who was fatally assaulted dumped his body at 'his attacker's' homestead in Chidobe, Hwange district demanding compensation before they could bury him.

Gabrone Ncube, 45, from Chidobe Village 5 died Tuesday while in the Intensive Care Unit at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo. He was allegedly attacked by Learnmore Moyo, 24, on June 7 at a beer drink at Chidobe Business Centre.

Ncube's relatives and villagers, mostly youths, carried his corpse in a donkey-drawn cart and dumped it at Milford Moyo, Learnmore's father's homestead at around 7PM demanding seven head of cattle before they could bury him.

Police were called in and took the body to the mortuary in Victoria Falls at midnight.

Moyo, stationed at 1.2 Infantry Battalion in Hwange skipped bail last week Wednesday after being told that his victim had died and his whereabouts are not yet known.

He was on $200 bail for attempted murder which is likely to be altered to murder. Victoria Falls magistrate Sharon Rosemani, issued a warrant of arrest for him.

A Chronicle news crew visited the two feuding families yesterday and observed that the atmosphere was tense.

The accused's family was not at the funeral wake where other villagers were gathered.

"I arrived yesterday and found that the community had agreed that no burial would take place without the Moyo family. We agreed that they should pay seven beasts and cater for all funeral expenses which they agreed to do.

"The community isn't happy which is why they took the body and left it at the homestead of Learnmore's parents. We feel the attack was deliberate because none of them (the aggressor's family) were here and they've been reluctant to help. We heard that they went to consult Acting Chief Mvuthu while the body was taken by the police and we're waiting for them to address us," said Artwell Thulani Ncube, the deceased's younger brother.

While the bereaved family accused Learnmore's of not cooperating, Moyo's father claimed they felt unsafe.

"Learnmore was violent and would assault people each time he got drunk. He beat the deceased because he chided him for harassing people at a beer drink and that's when he pulled a burning log from a braai stand and hit him on the forehead," said a villager.

Another said: "When the victim fell unconscious, Learnmore trampled on him and tried to push him into the fire. That's when people intervened, apprehended him and tied him to a pole waiting for the police."

While Ncube alleged that those who dumped the corpse were nearly assaulted by the Moyo family, Learnmore's father accused them of being disrespectful.

He said his family will be guided by the law since they had reported the matter to the police.

"We're equally hurt and that's why I accompanied them to hospital and even gave his wife money to travel to Bulawayo.

"We agreed to pay five beasts when they told us their demands because we feared they would beat us. They were violent and disrespectful when they came to dump the body and I stopped my children from assaulting them.

"The proper thing to do was to engage and at the moment we don't know what to do because we were threatened. We'll be guided by the law," he said.

Moyo said his family last saw his son on Tuesday.

"I'm now afraid he might think of committing suicide. Learnmore is over 18 years and should be responsible for his actions which is why the case is with the police but I'm being blamed for this.

"The problem is that they excused themselves from the whole issue. I would also want them to cleanse my homestead, as per tradition, after they dumped a stranger here."

Learnmore's uncle Maxen Macebo Moyo, said the impasse could have been avoided if the two families had worked together.

"If these people had reasonably followed initial plans, we wouldn't be having these problems. We've sold three beasts and spent $600 already but now they want five more beasts and $2,000. I feel they just want to fix us," he said.

Acting Chief Mvuthu confirmed the feud but said it was culturally wrong to dump a body.

He said he was going to sit down with both families yesterday.

"They reported to me and the challenge is that parents are fighting when the accused is nowhere to be found. I'm going there to try and talk to both families. However, culturally, we didn't know that people can dump a corpse," said Chief Mvuthu.

Matabeleland North Police spokesperson, Inspector Siphiwe Makonese said investigations were still underway