The Makore family has explained why they rejected the DNA results which confirmed that a head found three days after Tapiwa’s gruesome murder was their son’s.
Speaking to The Sunday Mail on Friday, Munyaradzi Makore, father to the murdered Tapiwa (7), said the skull had no human flesh, no hair, no tongue and its teeth did not even match their son’s.
Moreover, a pathology test run by the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals confirmed that the head belonged to a 13 or 14-year-old, not a seven-year-old.
Makore confirmed that DNA samples were only extracted from Tapiwa’s mother Linda Munyori, and not from both parents.
Tabitha Chikeya, a lawyer who offered legal services pro deo to the family, also confirmed that samples were drawn from the mother only. She said:
That directive came from the police who were conducting the investigations, that they needed samples only from the mother, and only the police can answer why they decided on that. Maybe it was a financial consideration.
Responding to the controversy around the extraction of DNA samples, ZRP spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said:
The DNA tests were done with guidance from experts and since this was not a paternity test, it was only prudent to get samples from the mother.
Makore said the family rejected a State-assisted funeral because what they wanted was justice for Tapiwa Jnr, and not a coffin, food and related funeral expenses.
Tapiwa was last seen alive on Wednesday 16 September 2020 after he was sent to tend the family garden.
Tafadzwa Shamba, a herdboy, confessed to the murder of Tapiwa and implicated his employer, Tapiwa Makore Snr, who is a cousin to Munyaradzi Makore.
Tapiwa Makore was finally laid to rest on Saturday, 27 March 2021 at Makore Village, Murewa.