Gokwe man picks his own death certificate

By Sydney Mubaiwa | Masvingo Mirror |

Wellington Mtendeleki from Gokwe picked his own death certificate recently after his father used his ID to claim money from EcoSure Funeral Cover.

Dumisani Mtendeleki (48) was this week fined RTGS$10 000 for faking his son’s death. He pleaded guilty and said that he faked the death in order to get money to feed his hungry family.

Mtendeleki of Mashove Village under Chief Njelele was found guilty of registering the death of a living person by Gokwe Magistrate, Shotgame Musaiwona.

He contravened Section 27 (2) (a) of the Birth and Deaths Registration Act chapter 5:02 ” Registering the death of a living person.

The State represented by Gertrude Shoko said Mtendeleki asked for his son’s ID after lying that he was going to look for a job for him. Wellington was shocked when one day he picked a death certificate in his name that had been dropped by the father.

The State said sometime in 2019, the accused requested an ID card from the complainant whom he promised to secure a job at Cottco Nemangwe.

Mtendeleki proceeded with the ID to Gokwe Registrar’s Office where he willfully gave false information that his son had died. In October 2021, the complainant requested for the return of his national identity card but to no avail.

Wellington later came across a death certificate in his name dropped by the accused.

“Your worship l forged the death of my son because l wanted to claim money from EcoSure so that I can get money to buy food for the family,” he said. Masvingo Mirror