Doves in burial storm
TINASHE MAKICHI
Funeral Assurance Company, Doves Holdings, is embroiled in a storm where it is accused of burying a family member in a manner deemed unacceptable and callous, Business Times has established.
The Chimwamurombe family represented by Brian accuses the country’s oldest funeral assurer of gross negligence and dishonesty with regards to the burial of their relative Maxwell Chimwamurombe.
In a letter dated October 26, the family’s lawyer ChimwaMurombe Legal Practice said Doves presented the Chimwamurombe family with a coffin without a corpse for burial. There are further claims that Doves Holdings realised three days after the burial that the body was still in the mortuary.
“Your organisation kept quiet about the body it had from March 2021 to August 2021 (approximately 6 months). Your organisation in a completely bizarre and potently callous and criminal manner proceeded to conceal evidence by burying our client’s relative without their knowledge and consent with a pauper at Granville cemetery (Ku Mbudzi),” reads part of the letter.
“In a more shocking and completely unheard-of move, the burial was a ‘mass-grave’ type of burial. 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,” the letter added.
The letter further stated that there was a high-powered delegation which included two directors, the human resources executive, the Group Public Relations Manager and the Chaplin that the Chimwamurombe offices created a perception of acknowledging the organisation’s negligent, injurious and criminal conduct.
“Our clients availed themselves all the way from the rural areas in Avilla and Kanyimo, Nyanga, with the conciliation expectation of a repentant and sympathetic organisation. We cannot say that was achieved. Your delegation blew hot and cold when asked by our Takunda Gombiro on whether they accepted the facts amounting to your criminal, negligent and injurious conduct. For the sake of completeness, we will revisit the facts as we contend as follows,” added the lawyers.
The letter stated that, “Your high-powered delegation only accepted the fact that ‘something was wrong but not any specific fact. We find that insulting. As you might be aware, you have reopened the funeral to our client and a swift resolution of the matter will be greatly appreciated. Our client reserves the right to sue for damages caused by the pain and suffering occasioned by this act.”
The matter has since been put on the attention of the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the Zimbabwe Anti- Corruption Commission, Insurance and Pensions Commission and Zimbabwe Council of Chiefs.
Efforts to get a comment from Doves Holdings director Farai Matsika were fruitless.
