Second exhumation tears family apart
WHEN one dies, it is expected that their remains are interred in a grave and the soul finds an eternal resting place.
However, this is not the case with Joel Nyamunokora, whose remains are on the verge of a second exhumation since his demise in 2017 when he was 17.
Initially, Joel’s remains were exhumed after his mother, Marian Chitembwe alleged that his ghost was haunting her and other family members because he was buried as an outcast, and was therefore demanding to be given a decent burial in the community cemetery.
This prompted the then acting Chief Mutasa and former Mutasa District Development Coordinator (DDC), Tendai Kapenzi to grant the exhumation of his remain for reburial at a different place.
Now, Chitembwe has shifted goalposts, and wants a post-mortem conducted on Joel’s remains, accusing her husband, Gilbert Nyamunokora of killing him.
This is despite the fact that the first post-mortem result concluded that Joel committed suicide by ingesting a poisonous substance.
Joel allegedly gulped down the poison after being castigated by his father.
When the couple appeared before Chief Mutasa’s court last Saturday, Chitembwe said her husband killed her son and stage-managed the poisoning.
She said on the fateful day, Gilbert Nyamunokora struck Joel to death with an unknown object.
“I know for a fact that they never conducted a post-mortem on my child. The post-mortem that the court has in its possession is fake. Yes, the police might have given it to you, but it was doctored. My son was killed by his own father.
He never took any poison,” she said. Chitembwe begged Chief Mutasa to give them the nod to have another exhumation to pave way for forensic pathological tests.
This can be performed by a forensic pathologist to determine the mechanism, time and manner of death, be it homicide, suicide, accidental, natural or undetermined in cases in which a person dies unexpectedly or violently.
After completing the investigation, the forensic pathologist prepares a written report explaining the mechanism, time and manner of death, and may also testify to these findings in court as an expert witness.
“We need a forensic pathology to be performed on his remains, and as such his remains must be exhumed again. My son’s soul is not resting in peace. He keeps appearing to me, and complaining that he is angry with us because we have not brought the criminal behind his demise (his father) to book,” she said.
Joel’s sister, Melody sided with her mother, confirming encountering her brother’s ghost, demanding a second post-mortem.
“We all know that Joel was struck by our father while he was standing near the place we use to wash our dishes. Instead, our daddy cooked up the suicide story. His ghost is now tormenting us. Each time it appears, it bangs plates and throws them on the ground, making scary noises,” she said with tears streaming down her cheeks.
Melody also demanded the exhumation of Joel’s remains.
This was despite Chief Mutasa producing a post-mortem report conducted on the deceased.
“These are all lies. Everyone knows that no post-mortem was conducted at Bonda Mission Hospital. We are demanding an authentic autopsy to put both this matter and his soul to rest,” she said.
Nyamunokora and other family members disputed the two’s assertions, arguing that the squabble stemmed from marital misunderstandings between him and his wife.
“My wife and daughter accused me of killing my son for three years leading to the first exhumation of his remains. A post-mortem was conducted and concluded that he died from poisoning. He had no head injuries as they are alleging. I never killed him. I only slapped him because he had let the cattle stray into someone’s fields. The truth is that this woman wants to sell the land that we both own and squander that money with Melody who is her siding with her. She is not married and has some kids. They claim to be seeing ghosts, which nobody else has seen except the two.
“Honestly, if I had killed my son, then that ghost should be tormenting me.
Why has that not happened? I do not see any reason why the remains should be exhumed again. My son should be left to rest in peace just like any other dead person,” he said.
The couple’s other daughter, Tracy Nyamunokora said her brother’s grave was recently desecrated to cast negative aspersions on their father.
“I do not know why all this is happening. Why can we not let Joel rest in peace? His new grave was desecrated and the tombstone head is missing. Someone also planted rapoko (njera/zviyo) to make it appear as if our father is trying to silence him,” she said.
Chief Mutasa adjourned the matter to May 11 to allow him to consult the acting Mutasa District Development Coordinator (DDC), Tedious Beto on the exhumation request.