By Nyasha Chuma
DOVES Funeral Services has accused the lawyer representing a Nyanga man for demanding to be immediately bought a brand new SUV motor vehicle and be personally paid US$123 000 or let all hell loose on the funeral service provider.
The burial of Maxwell Chimwamurombe, was shrouded in controversy, with Doves said to have presented the grieving relatives with an empty coffin for the burial.
The funeral service provider is said to have realized three days after interment that the corpse was still in the mortuary but remained quiet for six months, Fungai Chimwamurombe, the lawyer of the grieving family said, in a letter gleaned by Zim Morning Post.
In the letter the lawyer demanded that the family be compensated with new SUV motor vehicle and be personally paid US$123 000.
Doves is alleged to have “proceeded to conceal evidence by burying” the “deceased client’s relative without their knowledge and consent with a pauper at Granville cemetery (Ku Mbudzi).”
“In a more shocking and completely unheard-of move, the burial was a mass-grave type of burial,” the family lawyer said.
“We are advised that our client’s relative was either buried in the same coffin with the pauper or buried in the same grave. All circumstances the burial being utterly disrespectful and demeaning the Chimwamurombe family. One cannot rule out ritualism.”
A report has also been made to the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, Insurance and Pensions Commission and Zimbabwe Council of Chiefs for investigation.
However, in a letter to Chimwamurombe Legal Practice from Doves legal lawyers Mutamangira & Associates on Thursday, the funeral service provider said talks between the family and the mentioned parties was cordial and respectful, before the family lawyer high jacked the process for his own personal gain.
“In the past forty-eight (48) hours your partner, Mr Fungai Chimwamurombe invoked a parallel process in which he made incessant personal demands divorced from the ongoing engagement,” Doves said through their lawyers.
“In particular, it is on record that your partner demanded to be immediately bought a brand new new SUV motor vehicle and be personally paid US$ 123 000.00 (One hundred and twenty-three thousand United States Dollars) within a period of less than twelve (12) hours. It is on record that your partner publicly scandalise our client unless his personal demand was met,” Doves added.
“All efforts by the immediate family members of the deceased and our client to deal with the matter in terms of the law were strongly rebuffed by your partner. Regrettably, after realizing that our Client was committed to a process already agreed, your partner proceeded to widely circulate a letter supposedly addressed to our Client.”
“It is important to mention that the contents of your letter are neither factually correct nor do they disclose the failed forcible attempts made by your partner to be personally paid,” Doves continued.
“Our Client remains committed to the agreed process and considers the illicit efforts by your partner to be unwarranted in the circumstances. We trust that your partner will give due consideration of his personal demands on the matter in light of the clearly communicated position by the immediate family.”
