The family of seven-year-old Murehwa boy, Tapiwa Makore, who was murdered on 17 September has set the 9th of January next year as the burial date for his remains.
The family through their lawyer, Tabitha Chikeya, wrote to the police saying they would have wished to bury him with all his body parts but it seems the other parts can’t be located.
A few days ago, police released some of the DNA forensic results from the case, confirming that the abdomen, legs and palm belonged to the deceased, while results of the skull are yet to be released.
Speaking to The Herald after meeting with Chief Mangwende of Murehwa on the possibility of burying the deceased, Tapiwa’s father, Munyaradzi Makore said:
It was our wish to bury our son with all his body parts but we have finally decided to bury him without his head. We are going to bury what is there on January 9 next year so that we can find closure.
We would like to express our gratitude to fellow Zimbabweans for standing with us during these hard times.
Tapiwa’s mother, Linda Munyori said with three months gone since the murder of her son, she felt that it was high time her “son’s spirit rests. Burying him will also bring comfort to us.” She added:
As a mother, it pains me to bury my son without his head but there is nothing we can do.
Tapiwa’s uncle, Barnabas Makore, appealed to well-wishers to assist in the burial proceedings saying they won’t be able to manage the funeral on their own.
This is happening as Thanks Makore who was the prime suspect in the apparent ritual murder of his nephew was on Friday released from remand on a ZW$10 000 bail on the basis that there was nothing linking him to the offence.
Thanks was arrested after his co-accused Tapiwa Makore Snr, Tafadzwa Shamba and Maud Hunidzarira who are still in remand, had claimed that he was the mastermind behind the murder.
They claimed Thanks offered to pay them US$1 500 for the head and arms of the deceased.
More: The Herald