-as family buries wrong body
MILLICENT HUNGWE
Two boys drowned in Ruti Dam, Bhasera, Gutu when a makeshift canoe capsized in stormy weather.
The boys were on their way to attend church service in Bhuhera, Manicaland Province.
The deceased have been identified as Trysome Chenjerai (14) of Village Gava and Tadiwanashe Songo (15) of Village Mutadzaniso, both under Chief Mazuru.
According to ZRP Masvingo Province Spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa, on 25 September at around 2PM, Chenjerai, who attended Johane Masowe Church, was walking with three other boys to Buhera for a church service.
Upon reaching Ruti Dam, the group used a man made wooden canoe to cross the water.
However, midway through the dam, a sudden storm struck, causing the canoe to overturn.
All four boys attempted to swim to safety, but Chenjerai and Songo failed to make it to the shore and drowned, while the two survivors managed to escape and alerted church members at Buhera about the incident.
On 26 September around 10AM, a search party recovered Chenjerai’s body approximately 200 metres away from the scene. Believing it to be his body, the family proceeded with burial.
However, the following day, the ZRP Sub-Aqua Unit conducted a further search and retrieved another body, which was later confirmed to be the actual remains of Chenjerai, meaning the first body had been wrongly identified and buried.
Authorities then realized that Songo’s body had been mistakenly buried as Chenjerai’s.
An application for exhumation was filed on 29 September, and with the help of the community, Songo’s remains were exhumed, properly identified, and reburied.
The solemn proceedings were attended by Chief Mazuru and representatives from various government departments, who witnessed the correction of the mix-up.
