Vice-President Joice Mujurus family yesterday made an application for the exhumation of former army commander Retired General Mujurus remains buried at the National Heroes Acre.
This followed advice by respected South African pathologist Reggie Perumal that local forensic pathologist Gabriel Alvero Gonzalez failed to conduct a proper autopsy.
The familys lawyer, Thakor Kewada, told regional magistrate Walter Chikwanha that the only way Perumal would be able to determine the cause of Mujurus death was to have the remains exhumed.
I believe he should give evidence, but most importantly after examining the body and conducting a proper autopsy which is in line with the internationally-recognised standards which was not done by Alvero Gonzalez, Kewada said.
I think if we are to get to the bottom of this matter and get to know the truth, we must cross every hurdle that has to be crossed.
I do not know why this pathologist was called, my information is that he is not registered here in Zimbabwe and his name does not appear on the registered medical practitioners list, he added.
VP Mujuru will submit her affidavit on Monday, which would form part of the evidence to be considered by the court.
Chikwanha will also rule on Kewadas application. Gonzalez told the inquest yesterday Mujuru could have died of carbonisation caused by an open fire whose origin was unknown.
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But he said it was not certain the General died after inhaling carbon monoxide.
The Cuban doctor said the presence of smoke in Mujurus trachea (the tube that carries air from the throat to the lungs) was a vital sign for smoke inhalation.
We could not establish completely that it could have been the inhalation of the gases completely because we did not draw blood for examination given the state of the charred body, he said.
He told the inquiry he was a medical practitioner employed as a forensic pathologist, holding a legal medicine specialist qualification.
Under examination by Kewada, who wanted to establish his level of education in respect of his field of specialisation, the 66-year-old doctor said he had 29 years of experience and had been in Zimbabwe for seven months.
Gonzalez told the inquiry his findings were that Mujuru was alive when the fire started.
The tracheal mucosa (lining of the body cavities that produce mucus) was red and black inside demonstrating that the deceased was alive when the fire started.
The lungs were severely burnt and could not be recognised.
The stomach was burnt and absent and also the pancreas, liver and gall bladder were severely burnt and charred, he said.
Gonzalez told the inquiry his investigations were carried out with limited resources.
He said he did not examine the skull given that it was badly burnt, but took a closer look at some parts of the body and noticed a ring on the Generals finger, which was never found.
This was after Kewada asked him why he had not examined the brains since in cases of fire, brains gave the best results indications on the cause of death.
I could not examine the brains because they had been burnt given the intensity of the fire.
The first challenge we had was that we did not have enough instruments, those we normally use, to carry out proper examination, Gonzalez said.
During the proceedings, South Africa-based pathologist Perumal walked out of court and the magistrate was later advised he had left for his country to attend to other business.
The magistrate had earlier advised Kewada to record a statement from Perumal in order for the court to consider whether it was necessary to call him as a witness, but his sudden departure left the court wondering.
The inquest which was expected to end yesterday was then postponed to enable the court to make a determination on the application by VP Mujurus family.
