Family entangled in grave confusion
“We were all confused and did not realise that we were making a mistake. It was like the whole family was in a trance, including Justin’s widow.
A ZIMUNYA family erected a tombstone on the wrong grave in September and this has been interpreted as disrespecting the dead and a violation of the local customs.
This has landed the Chirau family in trouble with the local traditional leadership.
Instead of erecting the tombstone on the late Justin Chirau’s grave, the family erected it on his late brother, Joseph Chirau’s grave, thereby irking Justin’s South Africa-based children.
Headman Chigodora has since summoned the family to his court.
The family’s representative, Oliver Chirau, told the court that they experienced a strange bewilderment on the day they erected the tombstone, resulting in the confusion.
He said both graves are in the family’s cemetery and they failed to identify Justin’s grave.
“We were all confused and did not realise that we were making a mistake. It was like the whole family was in a trance, including Justin’s widow.
“We only realised our boob two months later after my brother, Teddy Chirau who is a prophet, dreamt that a mistake had been made. We realised that we had committed a very serious transgression and we are working towards rectifying the boob,” he said.
Oliver apologised for the mix-up and asked for the court’s leniency.
Teddy chipped in: “Joseph’s grave now carries Justin’s epitaph. We know that is disrespectful and might cause misfortunes in the family. Daily we are cashstrained to rectify the boob.
“However, it should be noted that the family suspects foul play. We were hypnotised on that day,” said Teddy, adding that Oliver is not willing to consult traditional healers over family issues.
Asked on why he is refusing to consult traditional healers over the issue, Oliver said he is acting on his late father’s instructions and following family tradition.
“Before my late father’s death, he instructed us never to consult traditional healers.
“We will rectify this issue, but I will not be part of a delegation that will consult traditional healers. I am a Christian, but will not stop anyone who is keen on consulting traditional healers,” he said.
Justin’s widow, only identified as Mai Emmanuel Chirau, said her husband’s death was accompanied by a series of mysterious events, thereby making her and her children suspect that he was killed by a family member.
“My husband’s coffin was covered with a black cloth, something that has never happened in the history of this land. It was meant to blind his spirit so that he would not torment his killers. When I asked about it, the cloth disappeared and no one cared.
“Now, in a cemetery with a few graves, we were all confused and failed to identify his grave,” she said.
“My son, Emmanuel, used at least US$860 for the tombstone unveiling ceremony, and that money was wasted. We are in pain as Justin’s immediate family and we ask for the headman’s intervention,” she said.
The late Justin was 95 when he died in 2020.
His brother Joseph had died in 2019. Headman Chigodora asked the family to remove the tombstone and apologise to the affected parties.
He, however, transferred the matter to Acting Chief Zimunya’s court.