HARARE-The body of the late Ryan Zinyemba, 4, had its legs as well as one hand cut off in a case of suspected rituals at Granville Cemetery.
After customarily visiting the grave a day after burial, the Zinyemba family got the shock of their life to be greeted by a mutilated body of their relative.
Family spokesperson Artwell Makombe was quick to suspect foul play saying the bizarre incident had to do with evil spirits and rituals.
“The situation was very strange and we can only say it was the work of the devil, I can’t even explain what really happened, I’m still in shock.
“We never experienced anything like this in our family but I can just say is zvinhu zvemweya zvinonetsa kutsanangura.
“We have heard of such scenarios but we didn’t think this could happen to us and we are yet to find out what really happened hopefully we will find the answers,” Makombe said.
“It was only a matter of seconds leading to his death.
“We suspected that he had flu and we rushed him to the nearest clinic but when we got there we were told that the child’s temperature was very high and there was need for us to go to Harare Central Hospital; a few minutes later he died.
Makombe suspected that the person who was behind the incident attended the funeral.
“This was odd and I think whoever did this is not human.
“I suspect that the person who did this had all the details and it wasn’t the first time to do this; the person seemed very experienced.
“We don’t know who is behind this but it’s unexplainable and there are so many theories behind this incident,” he said.
Zinyemba family were delayed to arrive at the cemetery when two of their vehicles developed mechanical faults.
They suspected that the faults had something to do with the bizarre incident they witnessed at the cemetery.
“We were supposed to arrive at the grave as early as 6am but our vehicle had a breakdown twice,” said Makombe.
“We called for another vehicle and it developed a fault as well that some of the relatives failed to get to the grave.
“While we were faced with the exhumed body, father of the child received a call from his neighbour saying his tuck shop in Glen View had been broken into by thieves.
“This left us wondering if there is something behind all this mishap and I want to believe that something traditional needs to be addressed.
“Parents of the late son separated and the father never paid lobola and at one time he denied paternity of the child only to admit him when he had grown up.
“All this left us guessing especially when we face such an incident when never met in our family,” said Makombe in tears.
One of the security guards narrated how similar incidents happened saying their main question was why it is happening to families who come from Mbare.
“I want to believe that there is someone in Mbare who is opening graves because all the graves opened over the past year were from Mbare families.
“We are all shocked by this and we encourage bereaved families to use cement to protect the coffins and when the family asked for water we thought you wanted to mix it with cement,” he said.-H-Metro
