Mugabe reburial saga: Grace speaks out
FORMER First Lady Grace Mugabe has broken her silence over a ruling by a traditional court that ordered that the remains of her late husband and former President Robert Mugabe should be exhumed and reburied at the national shrine.
Grace, through her lawyers from Chimwamurombe Legal Practice, wrote to Chief Zimba, born Stanley Wurayayi Mhondoro on June 2, challenging his order for Mugabe’s remains to be exhumed from his rural Zvimba home and be properly buried at the National Heroes’ Acre in Harare by July 1 this year. The chief found her guilty of breaching customary procedures and fined her six beasts.
“The judgment has several penalties or orders which expect compliance by July 1, 2021. Having had sight of the referenced judgment, we have identified critical procedural and substantive law defects that must be corrected by this court to attain real and substantial justice in the judicial process and additionally rein in the community court presiding officer from overstretching their lawful operation as a judicial officer,” the lawyers said.
Grace said the complainant, Tinos Manongovere did not sufficiently identify himself to appropriately be placed as a suitable plaintiff in the local court.
“There is no information that has been provided to show the substantial legal interest that fits with the plaintiff, thereby, prompting him to approach the court vis-à-vis the aforementioned choice of law process.”
