Slain Princess yet to be buried 7 months later
. . . as suspects fight extradition in SA court
THE body of four-year-old Princess Shoko, who was slain by her mother’s sister and her husband in August last year still lies in a mortuary unburied.
Reasons for the delay are not known, but indications are that a post-mortem and DNA test have to be conducted before her burial.
Princess’ suspected killers, her mother’s sister, Lister Sibanda, and her husband, John Zvivi, skipped the border into South Africa after the gruesome murder.
Princess’ body was found in a stream along Harare-Bulawayo Road, between Kuwadzana Extension and Glaudina on August 2 last year.
Her body was stashed in a 25kg mealie-meal sack with a deformed face.
Zvivi and Lister are alleged to have fatally assaulted Princess at their homestead in Zvimba before stashing her body in a sack and dumping it in a river at the end of July last year.
Lister and Zvivi were arrested in Bram Fischerville, Johannesburg, after businessman Moreboys Munetsi effected a citizen’s arrest with the help of a mob when he spotted them.
They appeared at the Randburg Magistrates’ Court in Johannesburg where they are fighting against their extradition to face trial back home.
If the court rules against them, the Government of Zimbabwe will be expected to send a formal request to South Africa asking for their extradition.
A source who attended Zvivi and Lister’s trial on February 1 said the case will continue on February 14.
“They are opposing extradition. The sad part is that the child has still not been buried and we wonder how her mother is feeling,” said the source.
When Zvivi and Lister were arrested, they said Princess was attacked by goblins.