A Harare man has been arrested on charges of defiling a corpse after he stormed the funeral wake of a 20-year-old Epworth woman and proceeded to have s.e.x with the lifeless body saying he had a crush on her whilst she was still alive and wanted to quench his lust before her burial.

A Harare man only identified as Bigman was arrested after simulating s.e.xual intercourse with the dead body of a woman he had been crushing on before her death.

A police report seen by the Zimbabwe Voice identifies the deceased as Melisa Mazhindu, a female adult aged 20 years residing at KB78 Muguta Extension in Epworth. Melisa was not employed at the time of her death from unstated causes. The accused are two male adults with only one known as Bigman who resides in Muguta area, Epworth, Harare.

Police say on Sunday, 2 January 2021 at around 0130 hours, Phillipa Mazhindu was at her homestead in the sitting room with two other female mouners. Phillipa is mother to the deceased lady.

The two accused persons entered the room and sat on the sofas whilst drinking beers and smoking cigarettes. One of the accused persons popularly known as Bigman then stood up and shocked mourners by saying:

Machembere maswera sei, musikana uyu munoziva kuti ndaimuda zvikuru, zvino azoshaya ndisati ndamu… (having s.e.x with her), asi kunyange zvake afa kudaro handifunge kuti pangaite chakaipa ndikazadzikisa chido changu asati avigwa, nekuti yangu yakatomira.” [greetings eleders, you know I loved this lady but she has gone before I had s.e.x with her. However, it is not too late, I can still have intercourse with her before she’s buried, I am ready].

Phillipa Mazhindu cautioned Bigman against that but he stood up and went to uncover the corpse which was lying in the room covered with a white cloth, slept on its top and made up and down movements of copulation on the corpse.

However, Bigman had his clothes on whilst the other accused was blocking Phillipa Mazhindu and the other two women from interfering with the disturbing activity.

Police say Phillipa Mazhindu had to scream whilst calling people who were outside who then came and removed the accused from the corpse and pushed the two outside.

On Wednesday, ZRP Epworth received a report and attended the scene. The case was reported under reference number RRB 4633444.

Investigations are underway and the accused are being charged with VIOLATING CORPSES as defined in section 111 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23.