Stolen deceased clothes haunt businesswoman

A Murewa businesswoman gave back a deceased person's clothes amid allegations that they were haunting her.

Oripa Mumvuri approached village head Hubert Matemadombo to hear her case on Friday after the Nemukuyu family refused to accept a bag containing clothes that belonged to the late Brenda Nemukuyu who passed on 10 May 2015.

The clothes were reportedly stolen on the burial day only to resurface after a year when Oripa revealed that the bag was at her house.

Oripa, who is believed to have stolen the clothes for ritual purposes, is reported to have been haunted by the clothes forcing her to return them.

The deceased's daughter Nomsa Chivaka told the court that Oripa approached her behind her elders' back asking her to accept the bag raising suspicion that the bag could have been tampered with.

"What I want Mai Mumvuri to tell this honouring court is why she kept the clothes for a year after she discovered that they were not hers," said Nomsa.

"Mai Mumvuri left my elders in the village where she stays to visit me at Murewa Growth Point asking me to accept my late mothers' bag and I smelt a rat and informed my elders about it.

"We could not accept the bag under such circumstances. Oripa was among the mourners and is our relative who heard that the bag was missing on the burial day last year.

"She took the matter to police after I refused to accept the bag. She was informed to approach the community court since she is our relative and knew the owner of the bag.

"She discovered that the bag was at her house a month after burial but she failed to return the bag only to return it now claiming that she was looking for the owner.

"Mai Mumvuri vaivepo pakasheedzerwa kuti bag rinehembe dzemufi harisikuonekwa, nhumbi dzimwe dzikagovewa ivo varipo zvikadzokororwa kepiri asi vanoti vaisaziva kuti bag ririkumba kwavo nderani.

"Her driver Talent Kudzotsa knew about the bag and was warned over disclosing the information. Today Talent is here with us to profess what I am saying and this made us refuse accept the bag without a clear explanation of what she was
using the deceased's clothes for," said Nomsa.

Talent, Oripa's driver confirmed Nomsa's statements before the court and reiterated that he was not aware that the bag was in the vehicle he drove when he took Oripa home soon after burial.

Oripa denied allegations of using the clothes for ritual purposes and apologized for taking months without returning the bag after discovering that it belongs to the deceased.

"The whole village is awash with rumour that the bag is haunting me and I want this to be clear that I am not a witch as what people are whispering at boreholes or in the streets," said Oripa before the court.

"Vazukuru vangu ndivo vandinofungidzira kuti vakabatanidzira bag iri vakasvikoriisa mu spare room mangu.

"After seeing it I enquired from my employee and my niece if the bag was not theirs and discovered that the bag belongs to the late Brenda and I did not open it. Until today I do not know what is in it.