The family of a deceased 46-year-old woman is demanding answers from Nyaradzo Funeral Services after her body was found with a sliced lip and disfigured nose.
The deceased woman, Patricia Mhizha (46), of Zvishavane, died last Saturday.
Mhizha’s burial was delayed after her family realised, upon collection of her body from Nyaradzo, that it had a sliced lower lip and a disfigured nose.
Patricia’s twin brother, Patrick Mhizha, told ZimLive that his sister had battled heart disease for 14 years until her death. He said:
They cut her lip off and it’s sad because I’m the one who attended to my sister when she died.
We identified her and her body was intact before Nyaradzo took her remains to Harare.
Nyaradzo called us on Sunday informing us that the body had arrived safely and that we should bring blankets and clothes for the dressing.
On Monday this week, at the Nyaradzo Herbert Chitepo branch, I was asked to verify an unusual defect on the corpse after my cousins had gone in first.
I was shocked to see my sister had her lip cut off and nose disfigured.
I asked them about it and the driver who took the body from Zvishavane denied knowing anything saying the corpse was transported in that state.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner, Paul Nyathi, confirmed receipt of a report from the bereaved family. He said:
The Zimbabwe Republic Police has received a report involving a corpse at a funeral parlour, which is currently under investigation.
As police, we are appealing to members of the public and the media to allow the current enquiry process to proceed smoothly before meeting any conclusion.
Meanwhile, Nyaradzo Group released a statement on Tuesday saying the body was referred into its care from a hospital mortuary in Zvishavane on Sunday. Read the statement:
On the 15th day of May 2022, we transferred into our care, from a Government hospital mortuary in Zvishavane, the body of one female deceased who had passed on at a private medical centre in Zvishavane, albeit with lower lip and nose lacerations.
Collaborative efforts are underway between ourselves, her family, the place of initial care, the police as well as the forensic pathology unit to ascertain the facts of this.
We would like to reassure our clients, and the public at large, that we appreciate their concern wherein such sensitive matters occur, and affirm our commitment to following all procedural requirements applicable to issues of this nature, to the satisfaction of all parties concerned.
We remain committed to providing professional end-of-life services, attending to each and every client’s needs in order to ensure a dignified send-off for our dear departed.