Harare, Zimbabwe — Edwin Muronzi, the owner of Restland Memorial Park, and three grave diggers have been arrested for their involvement in a shocking scheme that involved the illegal exhumation of 380 corpses over a nine-year period. The graves were dug up, the remains discarded in a dam trench, and the graves were resold to unsuspecting families in need of burial plots.
Restland Memorial Park, located along Kirkman Road in Harare, was the site of this gruesome criminal operation that spanned from 2015 to 2024. According to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Muronzi, along with his employees, Tinashe Chiguma (32), Moses Gwanya (19), and Kudakwashe Humure (31), was arrested in connection with the violation of around 380 graves and the illegal exhumation of the bodies.
In a statement, ZRP national spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrests and revealed further details about the operation. Muronzi is believed to have orchestrated the entire scheme, paying his employees between US$15 and US$20 per grave to exhume the corpses, clear the graves, and make them available for resale.
The shocking discovery came to light after one of Muronzi’s workers, Tinashe Chiguma, reported strange visions and encounters allegedly caused by the vengeful spirits of the dead. Chiguma claimed that the spirits of the exhumed bodies were seeking information about the whereabouts of their families. His report prompted an investigation into the illegal activities at the cemetery.
Upon further investigation, it was revealed that when the grave diggers unearthed the bodies, they would come across human skeletal remains and traditional artifacts that had been buried with the corpses. These artifacts were removed and packed into empty cement bags, and the remains were discarded in a dam trench adjacent to the cemetery. The graves were then cleaned, rearranged, and resold to new clients who were unaware of the illegal activities taking place beneath their loved ones’ final resting places.
The ZRP has since launched a team, including forensic specialists, to identify the violated graves and the corpses that were illegally exhumed and discarded. Police are also actively searching for three other suspects, identified only as Kevy, Shumba, and Dread, who are believed to be involved in the scandal and are currently on the run.
This case has shocked many, raising serious questions about cemetery operations and the protection of the dead in Zimbabwe. Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities at cemeteries or funeral homes.
As investigations continue, it is expected that further details will emerge regarding the scope of the operation and the identities of the violated corpses. The ZRP has assured the public that they are committed to bringing those responsible to justice.