'My brother Solomon was not buried in a manner that I accepted': Joel Mujuru

The elder brother of the late Gen Solomon Mujuru told Daily News on Friday that the family did not believe that this brother  died in a fire caused by a candle, as claimed by the police.

An emotional Joel Mujuru, the elder brother of the first black army commander, told the Daily News on Sunday on Friday that the family did not believe that Solomon died in a fire caused by a candle, as claimed by the police.

In a further comment that underlined the level of emotion within the family, Joel also revealed that they only agreed to the burial of the remains of the body deemed to be that of the late general to "spare President Robert Mugabe embarrassment".

"I always say this to my children, we have two ways to search for the killer of my brother. The first one is the use of legal means, like what is currently happening.

"The second one is â€" 'Ndeye chiZezuru chedu Iyoyo haina anopikisa' (it relates to our traditional Zezuru way which no one can dispute) â€" and that is the only way we are going to search for the answer. That is my only hope," said an emotionally charged Mujuru without elaborating.

"We will wait for investigators to finish their work and we will then carry out our own method. Let me tell you this, I am not sleeping every day trying to understand what really happened to my family."

"What we want to know as  family are two things. We want to know what killed Solomon, secondly who killed him. Chiri kuda kuzikanwa nevedzinza rangu ndeche kuti ndiani akauraya Solomon."

"My family will be very happy to know what killed Solomon and indeed if it is Solomon who was murdered," Joel said.

"We will not do anything to that person â€" we don't want revenge. We only want to know what killed him. Did he die of fire or fire broke out after he died? That is all we want to know," he added.

Joel said his family was not happy with the manner the funeral of the late general was conducted as they had been denied an opportunity to perform their rituals to appease their spirits.

"There is one important issue that I want to tell you. If I wanted to, I would have stopped the burial. But, it was going to be an embarrassment, particularly to the President, because people were going to ask many questions."

"People would have said look at what has happened at a funeral of a high-profile soldier, so I folded my arms. But I can tell you we are far from being finished. We haven't reached the end yet.

"My brother Solomon was not buried in a manner that I accepted.  I went there (the Heroes Acre) because of the laws of our government. President Mugabe told me when the body was lying in state at Stoddart Hall, Mbare,  that 'I am handing over this person to you - I will follow you from behind.'

Because of my respect for His Excellency I did not refuse. I did just as other people were doing, not that I believed I was going to bury my young brother. No! No!", said the senior Mujuru.

He said the whole funeral was contrary to their culture and he was still unhappy with the whole process.

"All the things that I was made to do were not done properly, so whatever I did I was just doing it without following proper procedures to avoid embarrassing Mugabe," he  said.

After the death of the general, police investigators failed to ascertain what caused his death and opted to go for an inquest that lasted for three weeks.

Vice President Joice Mujuru and 37 other witnesses gave gripping testimonies which raised more questions than answers.

But police investigators told the court that they did not suspect foul play, pronouncements that did not satisfy the Mujuru family members.

A local pathologist, who was exposed in court as not having been registered with the local medical body, Gabriel Alvero, said he suspected carbon monoxide as the cause of death.

South African forensic experts said it was difficult for them to determine whether inflammables were used or not as the manner in which exhibits sent to their laboratories were packed was not in line with international standards.

According to Joel Mujuru, nothing concrete was revealed during the inquest to assist them in establishing the cause of the five-star general's death, as contradictory statements emerged from the courtroom.

"I did not get anything from those witnesses, but I want to point at facts that were raised during the court process. These things were raised by witnesses and whether the court will take it or not it is up to them. Two gunshots were heard. They were heard by two different people who are mandated to protect the farm," he said.

Mujuru's maid Rosemary Short told the court that she heard gunshots on the night the general met his death.

A security guard at the farm, Clemence Runhare also testified that he heard the gunshots on the fateful night.

The late Mujuru's brother said his family would not rest until a concrete answer was provided.

"If I am told that my brother was killed by a gun I will say Amen, because someone heard gunshots on the night he died," Joel said.