Touts from Harare caused a scene on Sunday when they allegedly seized the coffin of their deceased colleague, Darlington Mukono, and dumped it in his uncle’s shop at Nzvimbe Business Centre in Makoni South.
The touts accused Darlington’s uncle, Joshua Hweniwa Mukono, of causing Darlington’s death.
Darlington, who was employed as a kombi driver, had allegedly collapsed and died while on the steering wheel in Harare. Joshua is the brother of Darlington’s father, Edmore.
The rowdy touts, who were singing and dancing, also pasted the deceased’s pictures around the grocery shop’s wall.
In an interview with The Manica Post, Abisha Mukono, a cousin to Darlington, denied instigating the touts against their uncle, Joshua.
However, Abisha admitted that Joshua stands accused of causing misfortunes to family members. He said:
Darlington passed on September 27 in Harare where he was working as a kombi driver. He left his house in the morning to go to work, and as he was seated at 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 for 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 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.
Abisha said none of them had engaged the businessman regarding the family disputes, and added that their uncle did not attend the funeral. He said:
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.
However, Joshua attributed the family drama to longstanding tensions stemming from their father’s polygamous marriage to three wives.
He denied any involvement in bewitching his relatives and accused his brothers of harbouring jealousy toward his success.
Joshua asserted that traditional healers were perpetuating the animosity, blaming him for the misfortunes and poverty experienced by other family members.
He also claimed that $4,500 was stolen from his grocery shop, along with a variety of food items that were reportedly looted and used to provide for mourners at the funeral. Said Joshua:
I do not even know the deceased, having last seen 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 groceries 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.
Chief Chiduku said the incident was taboo and was puzzled that the affected parties had not reported the matter to him, as he is the custodian of the area.
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