War vet’s body unclaimed for 4 months in UK, brother says he wanted pauper’s burial

By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |

Raymond Tapfumaneyi, a war veteran and former Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) employee, died in April and his body was unclaimed for almost four months.

Reports indicate that he is set for a pauper’s burial in Birmingham where he had relocated after lengthy service at the State broadcaster, helping churn out propaganda in aid of President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF government.

Tapfumaneyi’s body could not be claimed even though he had a brother and other relatives living in the UK.

His brother, Dumi, a senior community mental health nurse, is said to have claimed that Tapfumaneyi had left a wish that he wanted to be buried as a pauper.

Tapfumaneyi was suffering from cancer and passed away on 23 April, aged 59, at St Mary’s Hospice in Birmingham.

He will be buried at Kings Norton Cemetery on 15 August, with the burial being organised by the council. Nehanda Radio