Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. THE death of a Hurungwe woman, Rumbidzai Tachiona, on June 16 under unclear circumstances continues to haunt her family amid delays by the police to conclude investigations, NewsDay Weekender has learnt.
Mashonaland West provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Ian Kohwera, this week said they were “still getting facts on the matter”.
The case is being investigated under RRB 6297046, with one Sergeant Muregererwi from Karoi rural police assigned to lead the investigations.
The delay has added controversy over the suspicious death of Tachiona, a mother of four, with the family suspecting foul play.
Family spokesperson, Wilbert Tachiona, said his sister died in a case of alleged poisoning after she was forcibly taken by a Harare-based agro dealer, Svinurai Madziva, in the presence of a police officer identified as Edison Madiro.
Madziva claimed Tachiona owed him some money since she was his point person for selling agro products.
Madziva allegedly bundled the deceased in his lorry only to inform her family later that she had died at Karoi Hospital.
Tachiona was buried at her family homestead in Omega village, ward 1, in Hurungwe district.
“My late sister died on June 16 and we suspect she met her death in a gruesome manner, which has been covered up by cooked-up post-mortem results indicating that she drank poison. We want justice since she was recovering from malaria. We wonder where she got the poison from. Furthermore, can the officer be questioned if he ever left her alone to access the poison?”
He asked why the post-mortem results indicated that she had no external injuries despite some visible marks on her forehead and neck.
“We buried her under pressure from Chief Chundu, who directed us to bury after three days. Although we buried Rumbidzai, our fight for justice continues.
“We appeal to authorities, especially the police, to help us close this sad chapter.
“Ironically, the police officer has not been questioned. What was his role in a purely civil case? As a family, we dispute the post-mortem results because they differ from what we saw. There is reasonable suspicion that our late sister suffered a horrible death. Her clothes, including a jersey, stockings and tennis shoes, are still missing,” Wilbert said.
A medical doctor, one Mberi, signed the post-mortem results, which are under scrutiny.
“Whatever was written as post-mortem is a cooked-up script covering the criminal charges,” Wilbert claimed.
Tachiona’s daughter, Thandeka, who explained her last moments with her late mother, said she was on malaria medication.
She claimed her mother owed Madziva US$420.
Madziva has insisted that the late Tachiona drank poison.
“We reported the case to the police and I can’t say anything to anyone except to the police, who are handling the case,” he said.
Madziva says he is owed US$500 and will recover it once Tachiona’s estate has been distributed.
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