Retired Lance Corporal Sanelisiwe Magagula Laid To Rest In Lupane As Family Dismisses Missing Heads Claims
LUPANE — Retired Lance Corporal Sanelisiwe Magagula was laid to rest in Lupane today amid claims that reports about missing heads of passengers and crew who died in the helicopter crash in which she perished were misconstrued.
Relatives of Magagula told Mopane News that her head was intact, although badly damaged and burnt beyond recognition.
“Because of the condition of the body, only very close relatives were allowed to view the body,” a relative who asked not to be named said.
The relative said journalists had misconstrued a statement by Chivayo family spokesperson Herbert Chivayo, who was responding to social media reports that heads had been recovered some distance from the crash site.
“What Chivayo meant was that there were no heads that had been found [separately from the bodies], not that the victims had no heads,” he said.
Chivayo had said he was addressing four facts which social media appeared to have misinterpreted.
“Social media had reported that human heads had been recovered. That is not true because there were no heads that were found. There are some pieces of bones which forensic officials suspected to be head remains, but they found out that they were not. That’s the situation.”
Sources told Mopane News that the two pilots, Captain T. Soda and Captain Courage Mtavirwa, who were buried at the weekend in Marondera and Harare respectively, also had their heads intact, although badly burnt.
At this point, it is not clear whether it’s only Chivayo and his wife’s heads that were decapitated
Magagula was among four people killed when a helicopter carrying controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo crashed in Marondera last Wednesday.
Chivayo, 45, who was known for his close ties to the ruling Zanu PF and for securing lucrative government tenders, died on the spot.
The crash also claimed the lives of the two pilots and Magagula, who was part of his security detail.
The Zimbabwe Civil Aviation Authority and the Air Force of Zimbabwe have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, although preliminary reports suggested the helicopter went down in bad weather.
The incident came days after an audio recording allegedly featuring Chivayo discussing rituals and charms linked to President Emmerson Mnangagwa was leaked on social media following his death, sparking widespread public debate.
Burials for three victims have now been concluded only Chivayo and his wife Lulu Chivayo will be done this Thursday at