WATCH: Drama as burial abandoned after relative goes berserk

Freedom Mupanedemo, Midlands BureauA BURIAL ceremony for a Lower Gweru man was abandoned on Thursday when one of the relatives went berserk and started attacking everyone attending the funeral, including the priest and parishioners, who were part of the mourners.Neighbours and relatives had to regroup and quietly bury the body, which was left suspended on the grave for the better part of the day, as the violent relative, Edwin Moyo, remained camped at the graveyard while armed with a shovel.The incident occurred around noon in Village Njobela, under Chief Chisadza, in the Mangwande area, Lower Gweru. Police at Maboleni Police Station on Friday evening said they were handling the case, with Moyo, who was reported to be high on drugs on the day, still on the run.Mr Job Njobela Moyo, who is the headman of the area, confirmed the incident, which he said left the whole community in shock.He said the matter was reported to both the police and Chief Chisadza after some of the mourners were injured in the attack by Moyo.“It’s a shock, we have never come across such an incident, where a burial is abandoned while the body is being lowered into the grave.“I was forced to also run for dear life on the day as the guy went violent, attacking everyone, including a man of the cloth who was presiding over the burial,” he said.Headman Njobela said Moyo was incensed by the family’s decision to proceed with the burial even after they had previously resolved to halt the burial until circumstances around his death had been ironed out.“The deceased, Milton Mpala’s death, was as a result of murder and I think the relatives had previously agreed to have the matter resolved first before they could arrange a burial, so there were fissures within the bereaved family from the funeral wake until the burial,” he said.Headman Njobela said Moyo even threw himself into the grave, demanding to be buried together with Mpala, but later got out of the grave and turned violent.“He looked drunk and intoxicated and started beating up everyone before he grabbed a shovel and started attacking the mourners at random.“The scene turned chaotic and I ordered mourners to abandon the burial as we all ran for dear life,” he said. Headman Njobela said he has summoned the bereaved family for a disciplinary hearing on Sunday, to charge them for failing to rein in their relative, resulting in the abandonment of the burial.“It’s a shame to my community and what happened on the day is a disgrace, so we will be having a disciplinary court on Sunday (today), you can come and attend,” he said.A relative, who requested not to be named said the headman was, however, being tough on them at a time when they were grieving.“This guy is known for abusing drugs, the whole village knows and I don’t know why our wise headman decided to then summon us, especially during this time when we are mourning and traumatised by the incident.“Edwin (Moyo) is the one who should instead be hunted down and arrested by the police because, as the family, we don’t condone his behaviour, it also traumatised us,” she said.Share on FacebookPost on XFollow usSave

Originally published on Zimbabwe Herald

Source: Zimbabwe Herald

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