THERE was drama in the usually tranquil Nzvimbe community in Makoni South last Sunday, when touts allegedly seized the coffin of their deceased colleague, and dumped it in his uncle’s shop, accusing him of causing his death.
Touts from Harare, where the late Darlington Mukono was employed as a kombi driver, grabbed their late colleague’s coffin, and dumped it in Mr Joshua Hweniwa Mukono’s shop.
Joshua is a brother to the late Darlington’s father, Edmore.
Darlington allegedly collapsed while on the steering wheel in Harare and died.
The touts, who were also singing and dancing, also pasted the deceased’s pictures around the grocery shop’s wall, bringing business at the usually tranquil Nzvimbe Business Centre to a halt.
In an interview, Mr Abisha Mukono, a cousin to Darlington, denied instigating the touts against their uncle, Joshua.
He, however, admitted that Joshua stands accused of causing misfortunes to family members.
“Darlington passed on September 27 in Harare where he was working as a kombi driver. He left his house in the morning going to work, and as he was seated on the steering wheel, his colleagues were shocked to hear him screaming, shouting ‘ahhh maihweee’ and collapsed. They rushed him to the hospital, and he died on admission.
“The family was informed of his death, and his body was ferried to Nzvimbe last Saturday night. On Sunday morning, his work colleagues created a scene, demanding an explanation into the death of their friend.
“They argued that Darlington’s death was not natural, and resultantly took the coffin to uncle Joshua’s shop. As a family, we did not know who informed them about previous squabbles and finger-pointing in the family.
“No family members accompanied the touts to the shop where they dumped the coffin on the counter. We only learnt through the social media that a coffin was dumped in the shop. Police from Nyazura arrived when the coffin had been returned home. We later buried the body in the afternoon,” he said, adding that none of them has engaged the businessman over the family squabbles.
He said their uncle did not attend the funeral.
“In the past, the family once approached a traditional healer in Nyanga who disclosed that our uncle possesses wealth enhancing charms causing misfortunes in the family. We did not pay the n’anga after he demanded US$12 000 to cleanse the family. Our uncle also did not pay for the services, and agreed to leave his car as surety as he was supposed to undergo some cleansing rituals.
“On the return journey, he disembarked from the kombi and ran away. We later learnt that he went to the police to file a theft of motor vehicle charge. He was accompanied by the police to recover the vehicle, prompting the traditional healer to release it. He later filed criminal charges, accusing us of kidnapping, assaulting and accusing him of practising wizardry. The courts cleared us of any wrongdoing,” he said.
The businessman blamed the drama on the longstanding bad blood in their family, mainly caused by their father’s polygamous marriage of three wives.
Joshua denied bewitching fellow family members, accusing his brothers of being jealousy of his success.
He added that the family animosity was being influenced by traditional healers, who blame him for the other family members’ misfortunes and poverty.
Joshua said US$4 500 was stolen from his grocery shop, while an assortment of foodstuffs was looted, and used to feed mourners at the funeral.
“My brother has his own homestead in Buhera, but chose to stay at our father’s homestead in Nzvimbe. Ironically, our father has three wives. I do not even know the deceased, having last saw him when he was a toddler. I just heard that he had passed on, and I went there to pass my condolences.
“I slept in my shop since thieves usually pounce when there are funerals in the area. The following day, I proceeded to the funeral, and while on my way I was informed that some people had dumped a coffin at my shop. They broke into the shop and placed the coffin on the counter. They pasted the deceased’s pictures inscribed rest in peace around the shop.
“They looted grocery from my shop, saying as the person responsible for Darlington’s death, I should foot the funeral expenses. They broke into one of the rooms where I keep cash, and stole US$4 570 and two bags of maize. I reported the theft to the police, who came recorded statements before removing the pictures of the deceased from the walls. I am in the process of compiling a list of the foodstuffs they looted and the ascertaining the extent of the damage they caused.
“Previously, there was a peace order from the court against some of my relatives, but they have started again. My brother destroyed my houses at our father’s homestead, and I left to start my own homestead. He also chucked my mother from the homestead. I am a hard worker who has four wives and 20 children, whom I support through my sweat.
“They once brought their n’anga from Harare, who said he had failed to perform the job, and referred us to his colleague in Nyanga. I later learnt that other family members were communicating with him, and everything was stage-managed. The traditional healer said I would die with my children, but we are still alive. If people have failed in their lives, they should stop harassing others,” charged Joshua.
Chief Chiduku said what happened was taboo, and was puzzled that the affected parties did not report the matter to him as the custodian of that area.
Source: Manica Post
