Burial abandoned after relative goes berserk

A burial ceremony in Village Njobela under Chief Chisadza in Lower Gweru ended in chaos on Thursday after a close relative of the deceased went on a violent rampage, attacking mourners, including the presiding priest, and forcing the abandonment of the funeral proceedings.

The shocking incident occurred around midday when Edwin Moyo, a relative of the late Milton Mpala, allegedly under the influence of drugs, began assaulting everyone in attendance using a shovel. The mourners were forced to flee, leaving Mpala's coffin suspended over the grave for most of the day.

The community only managed to complete the burial later in the evening after regrouping quietly while Moyo remained camped at the cemetery, reportedly still armed and threatening violence.

Police from Maboleni Police Station confirmed they are investigating the matter and said Moyo remains on the run.

Headman Job Njobela Moyo, who also attended the burial and narrowly escaped injury, described the incident as "a disgrace" and "unprecedented" in the area's history.

"I was forced to run for dear life as Edwin began attacking everyone, including the priest. He was clearly intoxicated, possibly high on drugs," said Headman Njobela. "It's a shock to the entire community. We have never witnessed anything like this — where a burial is abandoned while the coffin is being lowered into the grave."

The headman revealed that tensions had been building within the Mpala family leading up to the funeral. He said the deceased, Milton Mpala, had died under suspicious circumstances, and family members had reportedly agreed to delay the burial until those issues were resolved.

"Moyo was angered by the family's decision to go ahead with the burial before resolving the circumstances around Mpala's death, which they believe involved foul play," said the headman.

According to witnesses, Moyo's violent outburst began when he jumped into the grave, demanding to be buried with Mpala. He later climbed out and began randomly attacking mourners.

"He started shouting, throwing punches, and eventually picked up a shovel and used it to attack anyone in sight," said a relative who was present.

Following the chaos, Headman Njobela summoned the bereaved family to appear before a disciplinary court on Sunday for allegedly failing to restrain their relative and allowing the burial to descend into violence.

"This incident has brought shame to our community. I will not let this go unaddressed. The family must answer for what happened," he said.

However, some family members criticised the headman for what they felt was an unfair response during a time of grief. A relative who requested anonymity said, "Edwin is a known drug abuser. Everyone in the village knows his behaviour is erratic. It's not fair that the whole family is being held accountable for something we couldn't control. We are also victims in this situation."

She added that the family was traumatised by the incident and called for authorities to focus on arresting Moyo rather than punishing his relatives.

As of Saturday, Moyo had not yet been located, and police investigations are ongoing. Meanwhile, villagers remain stunned by the disruption of what was meant to be a solemn farewell, now marred by violence and controversy.