The Sunday Mail
Debra Matabvu in Guruve
He was well-known, respected and trusted for comforting many during their times of grief. In his 18-year stint as a mortuary attendant, Mr Tichafa Nyakatonje of Guruve did what many feared – caring for the dead. But two weeks after his death, it now turns out that as much as he treaded where many feared, he might also have done the unimaginable.Villagers in his home district are still shocked following news that Mr Nyakatonje allegedly cut corpses open and sold the internal organs to several businesspeople in the area who would use them as enrichment charms.
It is also believed that he sold water he would have used to wash the corpses for as much as US$1 500 per 300ml. The gory details of the mortuary attendant’s “side job” are said to have emerged when he confessed to his family and colleagues just before his death.
He is said to have revealed the names of his customers, some of whose businesses are said to have nose-dived in the last fortnight.
A source who claimed to have been present during Nyakatonje’s alleged confession said, “No one suspected a thing as Nyakatonje was always the gentleman, very polite. If he hadn’t confessed, he would have taken his secrets to the grave. He had ‘problems’ passing on.
“It would appear as if he would have died and then he would open his eyes and start confessing. This happened three times,” said the source on condition of anonymity.
“In one of his confessions, he said he had taken the private parts of a woman who had been murdered near Guruve Shopping Centre, and sold them for about US$2 000.
“He also confessed that in May 2015, he cut the tongue of another corpse and stitched up the mouth. Still-born babies were not spared, too.
“The reasoning behind all this must be that people attend funerals in numbers voluntarily. As such, human body parts will lure many people to the businesses, just like funerals do.”
Mr Nyakatonje’s wives were not available for comment as some of them were said to have travelled. The Sunday Mail only met one of the six wives, Shupai Gwaze, but she refused to shed light on the issue. But his sister, Ms Nyepudzai Nyakatonje, told The Sunday Mail, “Moving around in the area is now a nightmare as many people are pointing fingers at me. I was not there when he confessed, but that’s what relatives who were present have related.
“For a long time, my brother was involved in numerous underhand dealings. It’s therefore not surprising that he would do such things. Nevertheless, that does not mean people should talk about it forever.
“In 2008, he convinced some villagers to pose as mourners. He would then process documents that enabled them to get maize from the Grain Marketing Board free of charge. He would then get some of that maize.
“I’m also aware that at one point, he joined a syndicate, led by a Zimbabwean nDebra Matabvu in Guruve
H
e was well-known, respected and trusted for comforting many during their times of grief.
In his 18-year stint as a mortuary attendant, Mr Tichafa Nyakatonje of Guruve did what many feared – caring for the dead.
But two weeks after his death, it now turns out that as much as he treaded where many feared, he might also have done the unimaginable.
Villagers in his home district are still shocked following news that Mr Nyakatonje allegedly cut corpses open and sold the internal organs to several businesspeople in the area who would use them as enrichment charms.
It is also believed that he sold water he would have used to wash the corpses for as much as US$1 500 per 300ml. The gory details of the mortuary attendant’s “side job” are said to have emerged when he confessed to his family and colleagues just before his death.
He is said to have revealed the names of his customers, some of whose businesses are said to have nose-dived in the last fortnight.
A source who claimed to have been present during Nyakatonje’s alleged confession said, “No one suspected a thing as Nyakatonje was always the gentleman, very polite. If he hadn’t confessed, he would have taken his secrets to the grave. He had ‘problems’ passing on.
“It would appear as if he would have died and then he would open his eyes and start confessing. This happened three times,” said the source on condition of anonymity.
“In one of his confessions, he said he had taken the private parts of a woman who had been murdered near Guruve Shopping Centre, and sold them for about US$2 000.
“He also confessed that in May 2015, he cut the tongue of another corpse and stitched up the mouth. Still-born babies were not spared, too.
“The reasoning behind all this must be that people attend funerals in numbers voluntarily. As such, human body parts will lure many people to the businesses, just like funerals do.”
Mr Nyakatonje’s wives were not available for comment as some of them were said to have travelled. The Sunday Mail only met one of the six wives, Shupai Gwaze, but she refused to shed light on the issue. But his sister, Ms Nyepudzai Nyakatonje, told The Sunday Mail, “Moving around in the area is now a nightmare as many people are pointing fingers at me. I was not there when he confessed, but that’s what relatives who were present have related.
“For a long time, my brother was involved in numerous underhand dealings. It’s therefore not surprising that he would do such things. Nevertheless, that does not mean people should talk about it forever.
“In 2008, he convinced some villagers to pose as mourners. He would then process documents that enabled them to get maize from the Grain Marketing Board free of charge. He would then get some of that maize.
“I’m also aware that at one point, he joined a syndicate, led by a Zimbabwean nurse based in South Africa, which sold human body parts in that country. He was, however, duped, and that’s how he returned to Guruve.”
She went on: “In addition, two weeks before his death, three men gave him a thorough hiding for selling them fake mortuary chemicals for US$1 500. He had disappeared when they came looking for him, but gave himself up after the men abducted one of his six wives and one of his 11 children.
“As we speak, one of his brothers-in-law is in prison for defrauding a funeral parlour of US$2 400. My brother was involved in that case, but authorities were waiting for him to recover from his illness to arrest him.”
A senior officer at Guruve Police Station who preferred anonymity said they couldn’t rely on hearsay.
“What we have now is based on what is being said in the community, and police cannot investigate on the strength of that alone.
“Besides, the person who would have provided enough information for us to institute an investigation is now late, and that makes everything difficult.”
Mr Nyakatonje was born in Murehwa in 1960, settling in Guruve in the early 1990s. He shuttled between jobs until he became mortuary attendant at Guruve District Hospital in 1998.
He was the community’s darling as he was ever ready to assist.
urse based in South Africa, which sold human body parts in that country. He was, however, duped, and that’s how he returned to Guruve.”
She went on: “In addition, two weeks before his death, three men gave him a thorough hiding for selling them fake mortuary chemicals for US$1 500. He had disappeared when they came looking for him, but gave himself up after the men abducted one of his six wives and one of his 11 children.
“As we speak, one of his brothers-in-law is in prison for defrauding a funeral parlour of US$2 400. My brother was involved in that case, but authorities were waiting for him to recover from his illness to arrest him.”
A senior officer at Guruve Police Station who preferred anonymity said they couldn’t rely on hearsay.
“What we have now is based on what is being said in the community, and police cannot investigate on the strength of that alone.
“Besides, the person who would have provided enough information for us to institute an investigation is now late, and that makes everything difficult.”
Mr Nyakatonje was born in Murehwa in 1960, settling in Guruve in the early 1990s. He shuttled between jobs until he became mortuary attendant at Guruve District Hospital in 1998.
He was the community’s darling as he was ever ready to assist.
