Massive graveyards scam unearthed
The Zimbabwe Republic Police has unearthed massive violation of approximately 380 graves and corpses at Restland Memorial Park, Rainham, Harare.
This comes after the arrest of Edwin Muronzi, Tinashe Chiguma (32), Moses Gwanya (19) and Kudakwashe Humure (21) in connection with massive violation of approximately 380 graves and corpses at Restland Memorial Park, Rainham, Harare between 2015 and 2024.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrests.
“On December 4, 2024, police arrested Tinashe Chiguma after he made a report that he had been experiencing visions of dead people requesting to know the whereabouts of their relatives, Chiguma implicated his employer, Edwin Muronzi, Moses Gwanya and Kudakwashe Humure, leading to their arrest.
“Investigations by the Police revealed that Edwin Muronzi employed grave diggers at the cemetery including the suspects and others who are on the run and paid them between US$15 and US$20 per every grave. The grave diggers allegedly received instructions from Edwin Muronzi to dig the graves to pave way for new graves and subsequent burials.
“In the process, they would come across human skeletal remains which they would pack in empty cement bags before wrapping them in clothes used during burial and disposing them in a trench or a dam behind the cemetery. They would also dispose off the traditional artifacts buried with the bodies,” he said.
Comm Nyathi said Edwin Muronzi and his team would then resell the graves to new clients to bury their late relatives without suspecting anything after cleaning and rearranging the used graves.
“A team from Zimbabwe Republic Police including the Forensic Science is conducting investigations with the view of identifying the graves which were tempered with, to identify the bodies through their relatives and the whole area where the illegally exhumed bodies and artifacts were being dumped.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police is appealing for information which may lead to the arrest of the outstanding suspects only identified as Kevy, Shumba and Dread. Anyone with information to contact the National Complaints Desk on (0242) 703631 or WhatsApp on 0712800 197 or report at any nearest Police Station.” The Herald
