Yesha
Senior Member
- Jan 28, 2026
- 183
- 97
For three years, Munyaradzi Dube’s family has been unable to give him what many families consider a final act of love and dignity: a burial.
His body remains at Kwekwe General Hospital Mortuary, with his relatives reportedly insisting that his missing body parts must be recovered before they can lay him to rest.
Dube, an artisanal miner from Njelele in Gokwe South, was 31 when he was allegedly killed in August 2023. According to journalist Fanuel Viriri, his mutilated body was discovered 21 days later in an abandoned mine shaft in Donzani Village, Zhombe, under Chief Samambwa.
His tongue, left eye and hair from the back of his head were reportedly missing.
The discovery marked the beginning of a painful and unresolved chapter for his family. Rather than proceeding with burial, relatives reportedly took his body to the home of one of the accused, where it remained outside for nine days before police intervened and transferred it to a hospital mortuary.
The dispute has since extended beyond the family, drawing in traditional leaders and government representatives, but efforts to find a resolution have reportedly failed.
For Dube’s relatives, the issue is not simply about arranging a funeral. They maintain that he cannot be buried until his missing body parts are recovered, citing cultural and spiritual beliefs surrounding death and burial.
Viriri also reports that, following a post-mortem examination, a friend of Dube reportedly went into a trance and began behaving like the deceased while the body was being transported to Gokwe for burial. This account has not been independently verified.
Traditional leaders, including Chief Njelele, from Dube’s home area, and Chief Samambwa, from the area where the alleged perpetrator lives, have reportedly attempted to mediate. Government representatives from Gokwe South and Kwekwe have also been involved, but a lasting agreement remains elusive.
Dube’s case is not the only reminder of families left without closure.
According to Viriri, 14 bodies are currently being held at Kwekwe General Hospital Mortuary. Five have known or partial identities, while nine remain unidentified.
Among those listed are Menfree Takawira, whose body has reportedly been at the mortuary for about two years; a man identified as Munyaradzi M from Gokwe South, believed to be Dube, whose body has reportedly been held for about four years; Benjamin Ncube, identified as the husband of Sharon Chikwari from Chegutu; Baby Talent from Wishlee Farm; and Blessing Nyama of Alarm 2 Mine, whose body was reportedly taken to the mortuary on 8 August 2026.
The nine unidentified bodies were reportedly brought to the facility between April and September 2026.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police has reportedly appealed to families with missing relatives to visit Kwekwe General Hospital Mortuary to assist with identification and collection of the bodies.
For many families, identifying a loved one and arranging a burial are important steps in grieving and finding closure. In communities where cultural and spiritual traditions shape funeral practices, unresolved questions about a death can make that process even more difficult.
Dube’s story leaves a painful question hanging: how does a family move forward when the circumstances surrounding a loved one’s death remain unresolved and the burial itself has become a source of conflict?
Anyone with information that could help identify the unclaimed bodies is urged to contact Kwekwe General Hospital Mortuary or report to their nearest police station.
Source: Fanuel Viriri
His body remains at Kwekwe General Hospital Mortuary, with his relatives reportedly insisting that his missing body parts must be recovered before they can lay him to rest.
Dube, an artisanal miner from Njelele in Gokwe South, was 31 when he was allegedly killed in August 2023. According to journalist Fanuel Viriri, his mutilated body was discovered 21 days later in an abandoned mine shaft in Donzani Village, Zhombe, under Chief Samambwa.
His tongue, left eye and hair from the back of his head were reportedly missing.
The discovery marked the beginning of a painful and unresolved chapter for his family. Rather than proceeding with burial, relatives reportedly took his body to the home of one of the accused, where it remained outside for nine days before police intervened and transferred it to a hospital mortuary.
The dispute has since extended beyond the family, drawing in traditional leaders and government representatives, but efforts to find a resolution have reportedly failed.
For Dube’s relatives, the issue is not simply about arranging a funeral. They maintain that he cannot be buried until his missing body parts are recovered, citing cultural and spiritual beliefs surrounding death and burial.
Viriri also reports that, following a post-mortem examination, a friend of Dube reportedly went into a trance and began behaving like the deceased while the body was being transported to Gokwe for burial. This account has not been independently verified.
Traditional leaders, including Chief Njelele, from Dube’s home area, and Chief Samambwa, from the area where the alleged perpetrator lives, have reportedly attempted to mediate. Government representatives from Gokwe South and Kwekwe have also been involved, but a lasting agreement remains elusive.
Dube’s case is not the only reminder of families left without closure.
According to Viriri, 14 bodies are currently being held at Kwekwe General Hospital Mortuary. Five have known or partial identities, while nine remain unidentified.
Among those listed are Menfree Takawira, whose body has reportedly been at the mortuary for about two years; a man identified as Munyaradzi M from Gokwe South, believed to be Dube, whose body has reportedly been held for about four years; Benjamin Ncube, identified as the husband of Sharon Chikwari from Chegutu; Baby Talent from Wishlee Farm; and Blessing Nyama of Alarm 2 Mine, whose body was reportedly taken to the mortuary on 8 August 2026.
The nine unidentified bodies were reportedly brought to the facility between April and September 2026.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police has reportedly appealed to families with missing relatives to visit Kwekwe General Hospital Mortuary to assist with identification and collection of the bodies.
For many families, identifying a loved one and arranging a burial are important steps in grieving and finding closure. In communities where cultural and spiritual traditions shape funeral practices, unresolved questions about a death can make that process even more difficult.
Dube’s story leaves a painful question hanging: how does a family move forward when the circumstances surrounding a loved one’s death remain unresolved and the burial itself has become a source of conflict?
Anyone with information that could help identify the unclaimed bodies is urged to contact Kwekwe General Hospital Mortuary or report to their nearest police station.
Source: Fanuel Viriri
