Wrangles delay Moana’s burial…. father disappears with burial order

By Ivan Zhakata

Socialite and fitness trainer Michelle “Moana” Amuli’s burial did not proceed as planned yesterday after her father Mr Ishmael Amuli reportedly disappeared with the burial order while other family members were waiting to take her body from Parirenyatwa Hospital mortuary to Doves Funeral Parlour.

Moana’s paternal and maternal families are haggling over her burial arrangements after initial indications that she would be interred at Zororo Cemetery along Seke Road.

The socialite, who was 26, died in a horrific accident that also claimed the lives of Genius “Ginimbi” Kadungure, Malawian businessman Limumba Karim and Mozambican model Alichia Adams early in the morning of November 8.

People who were gathered outside Doves yesterday to bid farewell to Moana ended up leaving the funeral parlour after they waited for her body from morning to midday.

Moana’s maternal uncle Mr Austin Chimedza said his niece’s burial might take longer than expected as the Amuli family had vanished with the burial order at Parirenyatwa Hospital.

“We now do not have any burial arrangements because we wanted the body to be taken to Doves but the Amuli family disappeared with the burial order. We had come to a truce and everything was in order and we thought the burial was going to take place today (yesterday).

“We are now waiting for him (Moana’s father) to come back to us and tell us the day of burial, but we are not burying her tomorrow. We are waiting to come to another arrangement with the Amuli family,” he said.

Mr Amuli was later asked by police to come to an agreement with Moana’s maternal relatives after he reportedly went away with the burial order.

When he went back to Parirenyatwa for talks with his in-laws, he found them gone.

“The Dongos have not called us. We are at Parirenyatwa. They are the ones who are causing problems despite playing no part in raising this child.

“If they do not pitch up, tomorrow we take our daughter and go with her straight to our mosque in Belvedere and bury her,” he said.

Meanwhile, DNA tests for Moana, Karim and Adams have been completed, paving the way for their burial.

The three were burnt beyond recognition after the doors of the Rolls Royce Wraith they were travelling in, jammed on impact. It took many hours for police and the Fire Brigade to retrieve their remains from the wreckage. The Herald