News / National
Police probe Amos Midzi death
11 Jun 2015 at 15:31hrs | Views
The results of Amos Midzi's autopsy have been delayed to today according to the family's spokesperson, amid revelations that police continue to investigate the much-talked about death of the former Cabinet minister and Zanu-PF Harare province chairperson.
Stanley Midzi, the family spokesman said in a statement yesterday that the coroner's office was still awaiting the results of a number of tests that had been conducted so far - which had necessitated the moving of the announcement of the autopsy results to today.
"The samples were collected from different body parts to assess the type of chemical and the concentration of the chemicals. The police CID department is now involved," Stanley, who is a medical doctor, said.
A post-mortem was performed by two pathologists at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals yesterday. Stanley said some samples were collected to be presented to the toxicology laboratory to determine their lethal degree.
The news comes after the 62-year-old former Mines minister, who had been suspended from President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF for five years, allegedly took his own life at his farm in Marirangwe near Harare.
But grieving family members and friends of the deceased say they are not ruling out foul play - particularly given the toxic political climate within the warring Zanu-PF.
A nephew of Midzi, who spoke to the Daily News at his Mt Pleasant home yesterday said knowing the person his uncle was, he did not believe he could have committed suicide.
"I don't believe my uncle could act in such a cowardly manner. Why would he commit suicide? Because he has been expelled from the party?
"This was not the first time that he has been in the political wilderness. He was a man of strong character.
"Losing was not something that he feared because if you look at his history, you will find that he contested several times for the parliamentary seat in Epworth and lost and eventually won the election.
"That was the kind of man my uncle was. He knew that no matter how hard you fall, you will always live to fight another day," the emotional nephew said.
The politician was found in the backseat of his SUV, with legs stretched between the front seats. Some blue sleeping pills were also allegedly found in the vehicle.
The family spokesperson has said that they did not know whether Midzi took the drugs or whether, and if he did so, this was out of his own free will.
"He did not leave a suicide note," the younger Midzi told the Daily News on Tuesday.
Stanley, however, said he was aware that his brother was suffering from sleeping disorder. He said the disorder started after Midzi was unceremoniously banished from Zanu-PF.
While there was no word from Zanu-PF about his hero status, which is the exclusive prerogative of its secretive politburo, the family was in the meantime going ahead with its own burial arrangements.
"We are planning to lay our brother to rest at Glen Forest Cemetery on Saturday," Stanley said.
The late Midzi, a career politician who headed a number of ministerial portfolios since 1982, also served as a diplomat.
His death came a week after he was suspended for five years from President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF for allegedly plotting against the nonagenarian.
Yesterday, scores of family members and friends of the late politician gathered for a memorial service at his Mt Pleasant home to pay tribute.
Former Vice President Joice Mujuru, former Presidential Affairs minister Didymus Mutasa and liberation struggle stalwart Rugare Gumbo were among dozens of prominent politicians who attended the service.
They were joined by Olivia Muchena, who was also recently expelled from the party, as well as former Clerk of Parliament Austin Zvoma.
Earlier on Tuesday, Water minister Saviour Kasukuwere and Godwills Masimirembwa, the former acting Zanu-PF chairperson for Harare province, also paid their last respects.
As Harare chairperson, Midzi was locked in fierce run-ins with his now jailed political rival, Godwin Gomwe. First Lady Grace Mugabe later attempted to broker a peace deal between the two men, but this did not appear to calm raised temperatures.
Stanley Midzi, the family spokesman said in a statement yesterday that the coroner's office was still awaiting the results of a number of tests that had been conducted so far - which had necessitated the moving of the announcement of the autopsy results to today.
"The samples were collected from different body parts to assess the type of chemical and the concentration of the chemicals. The police CID department is now involved," Stanley, who is a medical doctor, said.
A post-mortem was performed by two pathologists at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals yesterday. Stanley said some samples were collected to be presented to the toxicology laboratory to determine their lethal degree.
The news comes after the 62-year-old former Mines minister, who had been suspended from President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF for five years, allegedly took his own life at his farm in Marirangwe near Harare.
But grieving family members and friends of the deceased say they are not ruling out foul play - particularly given the toxic political climate within the warring Zanu-PF.
A nephew of Midzi, who spoke to the Daily News at his Mt Pleasant home yesterday said knowing the person his uncle was, he did not believe he could have committed suicide.
"I don't believe my uncle could act in such a cowardly manner. Why would he commit suicide? Because he has been expelled from the party?
"This was not the first time that he has been in the political wilderness. He was a man of strong character.
"Losing was not something that he feared because if you look at his history, you will find that he contested several times for the parliamentary seat in Epworth and lost and eventually won the election.
"That was the kind of man my uncle was. He knew that no matter how hard you fall, you will always live to fight another day," the emotional nephew said.
The politician was found in the backseat of his SUV, with legs stretched between the front seats. Some blue sleeping pills were also allegedly found in the vehicle.
"He did not leave a suicide note," the younger Midzi told the Daily News on Tuesday.
Stanley, however, said he was aware that his brother was suffering from sleeping disorder. He said the disorder started after Midzi was unceremoniously banished from Zanu-PF.
While there was no word from Zanu-PF about his hero status, which is the exclusive prerogative of its secretive politburo, the family was in the meantime going ahead with its own burial arrangements.
"We are planning to lay our brother to rest at Glen Forest Cemetery on Saturday," Stanley said.
The late Midzi, a career politician who headed a number of ministerial portfolios since 1982, also served as a diplomat.
His death came a week after he was suspended for five years from President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF for allegedly plotting against the nonagenarian.
Yesterday, scores of family members and friends of the late politician gathered for a memorial service at his Mt Pleasant home to pay tribute.
Former Vice President Joice Mujuru, former Presidential Affairs minister Didymus Mutasa and liberation struggle stalwart Rugare Gumbo were among dozens of prominent politicians who attended the service.
They were joined by Olivia Muchena, who was also recently expelled from the party, as well as former Clerk of Parliament Austin Zvoma.
Earlier on Tuesday, Water minister Saviour Kasukuwere and Godwills Masimirembwa, the former acting Zanu-PF chairperson for Harare province, also paid their last respects.
As Harare chairperson, Midzi was locked in fierce run-ins with his now jailed political rival, Godwin Gomwe. First Lady Grace Mugabe later attempted to broker a peace deal between the two men, but this did not appear to calm raised temperatures.
Source - dailynews
