Mujuru family urged to fight on for the truth

Solomon Mujuru seen here with Robert Mugabe

By Lance Guma
08 February 2012

The family of the late army general Solomon Mujuru have been urged to continue fighting for the truth, after a Harare magistrate declined their request for his body to be exhumed and a ‘professional’ autopsy done by foreign experts.

Reggie Perumal, a South African forensic scientist hired by the Mujuru family, raised doubts about the original autopsy done by Cuban pathologist, Gabriel Gonzales Alvero. Perumal said Alvero had not used the appropriate tools. He also queried why Alvero did the autopsy when he is not registered in Zimbabwe.

On Monday the family suffered a setback when Magistrate Walter Chikwanha ruled that he had no jurisdiction to order the exhumation. He said only the Attorney General and the Home Affairs Ministry could order this, saying the application was tantamount to ‘arm twisting’ and ‘putting the cart before the horse’.

But support for the Mujuru family has been coming from many quarters including the Daily News newspaper, who in an editorial urged the family ‘not to despair’. Vice President Joice Mujuru and family “must not be deterred by the decision,” and it should “not necessarily mean the end of the road,” the paper wrote.

“What has come out during the inquest are more questions than answers with serious inconsistencies in witnesses’ testimony particularly from experts. While magistrate Chikwanha is yet to give his full ruling, we all hope that his findings will give answers to questions raised during the inquest,” the paper said.

The state owned Herald newspaper was meanwhile trying to kill off the matter using an article entitled ‘Inquest findings final, say experts’.

Quoting unnamed legal experts, the paper said: “the presiding magistrate in General Solomon Mujuru’s inquest has absolute control of the proceedings and there is no room for family members and interested parties to appeal against the court’s decision.”

Lawyer Thakor Kewada has meanwhile said he is awaiting the inquest’s outcome before taking further instructions from the Mujuru family.