ONE of Zimbabwe’s leading funeral services companies, Doves Holdings Funeral Services has come under fire for allegedly burying an empty coffin and holding on to the deceased’s body for six months before proceeding to clandestinely bury it in a mass grave at Mbudzi Cemetery in Harare.
By Patricia Mashiri
The deceased, Maxwell Chimwamurombe from Nyanga, died in March and the funeral company Doves only realized three days after burial that his body was still in mortuary according to legal documents filed Zenas Chambers representing the Chimwamurombe family.
Your organization realized three days after the burial that the body was still in the mortuary. Your organization kept quiet about the body it had from March 2021 to August 2021 (approximately 6 months). Your organization in a completely bizarre and potently callous and criminal manner proceeded to conceal evidence by burying our client’s relative without their knowledge and consent with a pauper at Granville cemetery (Ku Mbudzi).
“In a more shocking and completely unheard-of move, the burial was a mass-grave’ type of burial. We are advised that our client’s relative was either buried in the same coffin with the pauper or buried in the same grave. All circumstances the burial being utterly disrespectful and demeaning the Chimwamurombe family. One cannot rule out ritualism,” said Zenus Chambers.
In their response, Mr Innocent Tshuma, the Group Public Relations Manager, Doves Holdings Zimbabwe said they were currently carrying out investigations.
“After getting wind of this information, Doves executive management immediately initiated a process to inform the family. We went through to Nyanga and as per the customs of the land we engaged village chiefs and headman (Chief Saunyama and Chief Katerere) to help us engage the family. A police detail also accompanied the Doves team to the deceased’s homestead. A series of meetings were subsequently held with the family on the 22nd of October 2021 wherein we informed the family of the suspected anomaly and sight in investigating the entire burial circumstances.
“A follow up meeting was held with the family led by Mr Fungai Chimwamurombe on the 25th of October 2021. The meeting sought to find a way forward and initiate the exhumation process at both burial sites involving the deceased families. As Doves we are fully committed to a full investigation of the matter and bring it to completion” He said.
