Yeukai Karengezeka — Restland Memorial Park director Edwin Munyaradzi Muronzi, who was arrested over the weekend for unlawfully exhuming 78 graves at his cemetery without the authority of Zvimba Rural District Council, has been granted US$200 bail.

The number of unlawfully exhumed graves contrasts with earlier reports that claimed 380 graves had been destroyed but investigating officer Detective Assistant Inspector Tirivangani Madhibha has confirmed that it was 78 graves that were unlawfully dug up and the remains moved.

Muronzi first appeared in court on Saturday and was remanded in custody.

He returned to court yesterday before Harare Magistrate Mr Isheanesu Matova, facing charges of violating the Graves and Corpses Act.

Prosecutor Mr Takudzwa Jambawu alleged that in 2015, Muronzi bought 36ha in Rainham, under the jurisdiction of Zvimba Rural District Council, with plans to develop a private cemetery.

However, it was later discovered that the area had already been used as a cemetery by local people, which was unknown to the rural district council.

Muronzi's company, Restland Memorial Park, sought permission to remove and rebury the graves to facilitate cemetery developments, including roads and car parks. In 2018, they received approval to exhume and rebury 69 bodies.

During the approved reburials, Muronzi hired workers to carry out the exhumations.

However, on December 5 this year police officers from ZRP Mabelreign received reports alleging unlawful violations of graves at the cemetery.

Upon investigation, officers discovered human remains while new graves were being dug.

When summoned to the cemetery, Muronzi presented paperwork indicating that he had received permission to exhume 69 graves in 2018.

Nonetheless, it was revealed that an additional 78 graves had been exhumed and the remains reburied without proper authorisation.

This brought the total number of exhumed graves to 147, well above the approved 69.

The court heard that when questioned, Muronzi failed to provide a valid explanation for the excess in the number of graves exhumed.