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President Mugabe addresses mourners at the funeral of Zanele, the daughter to Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo (seated on the right), while Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere listens in Harare yesterday. — (Picture by Justin Mutenda)

Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
President Mugabe yesterday said Government was not convinced by the explanation given by South African authorities regarding the death of Zanele, daughter of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo who was found dead in her apartment on Saturday.

The President said this after visiting Prof Moyo’s residence in Harare to pay his condolences. This was after Prof Moyo gave a detailed account of the circumstances surrounding Zanele’s death. In his explanation, Prof Moyo exposed some of the glaring inconsistencies in the whole matter.

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One of the shocking revelations that Prof Moyo brought to the attention of President Mugabe was that the South African doctors who conducted the post mortem said toxicology results would only be out after five years.

Again, after the post-mortem, police said they had ruled out any foul play.

This is despite that the family had not raised any suspicion on the death. After being quizzed as to why they were pinning the matter on foul play, Prof Moyo said the authorities backtracked saying they had used a wrong term instead they wanted to say there was no external wound on her body.

Prof Moyo said although earlier it was indicated that there were plenty of bottles of alcohol in Zanele’s apartment, they discovered a small amount of marijuana when they went to the apartment.

“When we were in the apartment we were told that Zanele was last seen on Wednesday the 14th in the company of a Zambian guy called Stephen who is about 26 or 28 years old whom Zanele had only known for three weeks after being introduced to him by her friend Rumbie,” he said.

Stephen had become a key person of interest after he used Zanele’s phone last Wednesday evening to call her friend Nicole Bento to tell her that Zanele was ‘passing out’.

Prof Moyo said when Stephen was contacted he said he had travelled to Zambia to attend his father’s funeral.

Stephen was, however, spotted at OR Tambo International Airport on Tuesday night by Zanele’s friend and sister who were travelling to Zimbabwe.

After receiving that information, Prof Moyo said he alerted the investigating officer who questioned where he was getting that information.

Responding to Prof Moyo’s account, President Mugabe questioned the five-year period for the toxicology results.

He also queried why the South African police seemed to be reluctant to investigate the matter.

President Mugabe said the Government would pursue the matter until a satisfactory explanation was given.

“We heard that there was a Zambian who had the knowledge that she was dying and he alerted others,” he said.

“That is where we ask whether this was reported to the police or not. If it was reported, what kind of police are they who do not institute investigations on such a matter in a satisfactory manner?

“Ko iyeyu aiti huyai ndinoda kuenda kuZambia kune rufu rwababa vangu asi une rufu rwaunarwo ipapo, wobva wada kurwusiya woenda kune rufu rwababa vako. Tine chokwadi chekuti munhu wese anosungirwa kukoshesa baba vake asi waita rufu rwuri pamakumbo ako haukande chitunha pasi uchiti ndoenda kuna baba vangu. Munhu wese ane pfungwa dzakakwana anoti aah hongu rwababa vangu ndarunzwa asi rwandinarwo pano nderwurwu ndochiona kuti rufu ndarwubata sei ndichiripo. Kana tapedza kuradzika uyu kana kumuisa mumaoko evabereki ndopandingaende.

“Then the same person is spotted again at the airport. You question whether he had gone to attend a funeral for real or it was just a way of trying escape because he might be suspected to be the killer.”

President Mugabe said Stephen should be questioned and give a satisfactory answer.

“Ngavatipe tsananaguro ingatigutsewo. Vana chirembawo zvamatiudza, ah zvinenge zvinoratidza kuti hameno zvavari kuvanziridzawo. Kuti tozokupai result yepost mortem kwapera makore mashanu, mati mambonzwawo post mortem ine urefu hwakadaro? Pamusana pei? Saka sehurumende tichada kuti tirambe tichienderera kuti aiwa tichiti hatina kugutswa. Hongu pangadai pakaita mufaro, hapangadai pakaita kurwa here? Hapangadai pakaita kurwisana kwekuroverana pasi here?”

President Mugabe urged the Moyo family to take comfort in the fact that the nation was walking with them during this difficult moment.

He said Zanele’s mysterious death would continue to disturb the family but they should know that was the nature of life.

Several Cabinet ministers, senior Government officials and services chiefs yesterday also visited the Moyo family to pay their condolences.

Zanele will be buried tomorrow at Glen Forest Memorial Park in Harare.