Mutasa Family’s Funeral Ordeal Sparks Court Dispute Over Alleged Spiritual Afflictions

MUTASA – A grieving family in Mutasa has taken its long-running troubles to a traditional court after a shocking funeral incident in which a deceased woman’s body allegedly failed to fit into a coffin, forcing relatives to perform a ritual before burial. The Sango family says the incident is part of a series of misfortunes that have plagued them for years, including unexplained illnesses, marital breakdowns, and a mysterious disappearance.

Testifying before Chief Mutasa's Community Court, family head Clava Sango recounted the events surrounding the burial of his niece.

“She later died. But when we tried to bury her, her body could not fit into the coffin at the funeral parlour. It was a very disturbing situation,” he said.

According to Clava, the situation was only resolved after he was instructed to perform a traditional ritual in the kitchen, locally referred to as pachikuva, to seek spiritual intervention.

After the ritual, the body reportedly fit into the coffin, allowing the burial to proceed at their rural home.

The Sango family believes their troubles date back to the disappearance of Lennos Sango, a village head who vanished more than a decade ago under unclear circumstances. A human skull later believed to be his was discovered and buried, but the family says they never achieved closure. Since then, they claim, a series of unexplained events has affected them. In an effort to find answers, the family has spent significant amounts of money consulting traditional healers, with mixed outcomes.

The dispute has deepened after relatives sought to compel Clava Sango to join them in further consultations with a traditional healer, arguing that collective action is needed to address what they believe are spiritual afflictions. However, Clava denies wrongdoing and says he is being unfairly blamed.

“We called a traditional healer who told us that I was harbouring my late brother’s spirit. He charged us US$2,700 for the consultation,” he said.

Clava said the interpretation of the healer’s message caused divisions within the family.

“The rest of the family misunderstood that statement and argued that it meant I had something to do with my brother’s disappearance. I understood it differently that as the new head of the family, I had inherited the responsibility and spiritual burden,” he explained.

The situation reportedly escalated after the healer allegedly demanded an additional US$4,000 for a cleansing ceremony, a cost the family says it cannot afford.

Presiding over the matter, Chief Mutasa urged the family to work together rather than apportion blame to one individual. He directed them to collectively seek a solution and return to court with feedback after further consultations.

“The family must unite in addressing its challenges instead of isolating one member,” he said.

Cases involving traditional beliefs and family disputes remain common in some rural communities, where cultural practices often intersect with legal and social systems.

Sociologist Dr. Nyasha Chirenje said such disputes highlight the complexity of balancing cultural beliefs with modern conflict resolution approaches.

“While traditional practices remain important in many communities, disagreements over interpretation can deepen divisions rather than resolve them,” she said.

The matter has been adjourned to allow the family time to pursue further consultations before returning to court.

Mutasa funeral incident Zimbabwe