Opinion / Book Reviews
Grave desecration scandal rocks Harare
06 Dec 2024 at 20:31hrs | Views
In a shocking and spine-chilling development, four individuals have been implicated in the violation of 380 mass graves at Restland Memorial Park in Harare. The disturbing actions, which include digging up graves, removing and discarding human remains, have led to a wave of outrage across the city. The heinous acts came to light when one of the suspects, reportedly haunted by visions of dead people, came forward to reveal the macabre activities.
Police learned of the grave desecration after Tinashe Chiguma, aged 32, confessed to seeing visions of deceased individuals who demanded answers about the whereabouts of their remains. In his report, Chiguma named his accomplices, including Edwin Muronzi, the alleged mastermind behind the operation. Muronzi, whose age has not been disclosed, is said to have employed several gravediggers, paying them between US$15 and US$20 for each grave they prepared. The gravediggers would then excavate graves, collect skeletal remains, and pack them into empty cement bags or wrap them in burial clothes before discarding the remains in a nearby dam or trench behind the cemetery.
The suspects are also accused of reselling the graves to new clients, promising them fresh burial plots while obscuring the fact that the graves had previously been disturbed. The police confirmed that investigations are ongoing to identify the specific graves involved and to track down the remaining suspects, identified only as Kevi, Shumba, and Dread.
National police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, confirmed the arrest of Chiguma and three other suspects: Moses Gwanya (19) and Kudakwashe Humure (21). Nyathi also explained that police, along with forensic scientists, are working to identify the tampered graves and trace the victims’ families for proper identification.
According to a police statement, the suspects would dig up graves at Muronzi's instruction and clean the disturbed sites before reselling the plots. In addition to the skeletal remains, they allegedly discarded traditional artifacts buried with the bodies, further compounding the gruesome nature of the crime.
The police have appealed to the public for any information that could lead to the arrest of the outstanding suspects and help with the ongoing investigation. Those with information are urged to contact the National Complaints Desk or report to the nearest police station.
The case has left the Harare community in shock, with many expressing outrage over the desecration of the resting places of the deceased. Investigations continue as authorities work to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
Police learned of the grave desecration after Tinashe Chiguma, aged 32, confessed to seeing visions of deceased individuals who demanded answers about the whereabouts of their remains. In his report, Chiguma named his accomplices, including Edwin Muronzi, the alleged mastermind behind the operation. Muronzi, whose age has not been disclosed, is said to have employed several gravediggers, paying them between US$15 and US$20 for each grave they prepared. The gravediggers would then excavate graves, collect skeletal remains, and pack them into empty cement bags or wrap them in burial clothes before discarding the remains in a nearby dam or trench behind the cemetery.
The suspects are also accused of reselling the graves to new clients, promising them fresh burial plots while obscuring the fact that the graves had previously been disturbed. The police confirmed that investigations are ongoing to identify the specific graves involved and to track down the remaining suspects, identified only as Kevi, Shumba, and Dread.
National police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, confirmed the arrest of Chiguma and three other suspects: Moses Gwanya (19) and Kudakwashe Humure (21). Nyathi also explained that police, along with forensic scientists, are working to identify the tampered graves and trace the victims’ families for proper identification.
According to a police statement, the suspects would dig up graves at Muronzi's instruction and clean the disturbed sites before reselling the plots. In addition to the skeletal remains, they allegedly discarded traditional artifacts buried with the bodies, further compounding the gruesome nature of the crime.
The police have appealed to the public for any information that could lead to the arrest of the outstanding suspects and help with the ongoing investigation. Those with information are urged to contact the National Complaints Desk or report to the nearest police station.
The case has left the Harare community in shock, with many expressing outrage over the desecration of the resting places of the deceased. Investigations continue as authorities work to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
Source - The Chronicle
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