A father’s grief turned into a determined quest for justice after suspicions of foul play emerged surrounding the death of his 26-year-old son, Godrich Muchecheterwa. Godrich passed away on May 24, 2023, after visiting his girlfriend, Tanatswa Moleni, at her family’s homestead in Hwedza.

Initially, the family believed Godrich died from poisoning, but inconsistencies and unanswered questions led them to suspect otherwise. When Emmanuel Muchecheterwa, Godrich’s father, saw his son’s body at the mortuary, he noticed a distinct scar on his head, which was never explained.

Driven by instinct, Muchecheterwa demanded a post-mortem examination, which was conducted at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare. The initial results indicated food poisoning, but the unexplained wound on Godrich’s head continued to trouble the family. A second post-mortem revealed evidence of foul play, solidifying the family’s suspicions.

Despite the lingering questions, the family proceeded with Godrich’s burial on June 28, 2023. Strikingly, the Moleni family did not attend the funeral. In a dramatic move, the Muchecheterwa family took Godrich’s corpse to the Moleni’s homestead during the funeral procession in protest, leading to Muchecheterwa being summoned to Headman Chigwedere’s court and fined two goats for “making the house dirty” in Shona culture.

Muchecheterwa’s quest for justice led him to visit numerous police stations over 50 times from 2023 to July 2025. The breakthrough came when the case was transferred to the CID homicide unit, which uncovered the truth behind Godrich’s death. The investigation implicated the Moleni family, alleging that they beat Godrich to death and attempted to dispose of his body.

Mary Moleni, George Moleni, Margaret Moleni, and Evans Mupezeni were arrested and appeared in court on July 11, remanded in custody until July 25. Muchecheterwa’s determination has brought a sense of relief, but he acknowledges that the journey to justice is far from over. “I hope the courts will deliver justice for my son’s death,” he said.

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