Tinaani Nyabereka
Gweru- A grieving Gweru family buried the wrong body after a mix-up on body collection in the morgue following two tragic murder incidents which occurred on December 4 2023 in Mkoba 14 and Mkoba 16 business centers.
The deceased Takudzwa Chipadza and Courage Sibanda were murdered on separate incidents and were put in the same mortuary but Chipadza’s relatives collected Sibanda’s body which they went on to bury.
Midlands Provincial Police spokesperson, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko however confirmed the reburial of the two and urged grieving families to take time identifying bodies and be satisfied before burial
“Both bodies were buried on 15 December 2023, Courage Sibanda in Somabhula and Takudzwa Chipadza at Mutasa Cemetery in Gweru.
“As Police, we encourage bereaved families to take their time in identifying their dead relatives and be satisfied before burial to avoid such occurrences,” Mahoko said.
Circumstances are that, on December 6, 2023, it is alleged that Takudzwa Chipadzas relatives went to Gweru Provincial Hospital mortuary where they mistakenly collected the body of the late Courage Sibanda instead of Takudzwa Chipadza’s body.
They buried the body on the December 7, 2023 at Mutasa Cemetery, Clifton Park, Gweru.
On the December 7, 2023, the late Courage Sibanda’s relatives went to the same hospital mortuary to collect his body but instead collected Chipadza’s body.
They took the body to Somabhula for burial and the matter came to light the following day during body viewing when the father of the deceased discovered that it was not his son.
The family advised Gweru Provincial Hospital authorities about the incident and Takudzwa’s relatives were engaged.
Upon identification of the body, both families agreed that the body that had been brought back was that of Takudzwa Chipadza.
The exhumation of Sibanda’s body was granted by the relevant authorities and it was exhumed on December 14 2023.
