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Trial of suspected heroin traffickers opens

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THE trial of two men accused of attempting to steal the body of a suspected heroin mule from a local funeral parlour kicked off at the Harare Magistrates’ Court with the pair denying the charge.

THE trial of two men accused of attempting to steal the body of a suspected heroin mule from a local funeral parlour kicked off at the Harare Magistrates’ Court with the pair denying the charge.

REPORT BY CHARLES LAITON SENIOR COURT REPORTER

Mlawa Jumanne Ndumbogane and Mufungo Ngara were arrested on October 24 after they allegedly attempted to steal the body of a Tanzanian drug mule, Ally Omari Mpili, from a private funeral parlour.

Mpili is believed to have swallowed the drugs while in Tanzania with the intention of discharging them on reaching South Africa.

He died at a city lodge after failing to get connecting transport.

Ndumbogane told regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya that he was Mpili’s close relative and was unaware that the deceased’s body had 80 ampoules of heroin weighing 1,4kg as alleged by the State.

Ndumbogane, represented by Rungano Mahuni, said when Mpili died in Harare, he was sent to come to Zimbabwe and sign for the body to be repatriated to South Africa.

He told the court that he went to the Tanzanian Embassy in Harare where all necessary documents were signed.

Local police were informed of the developments.

Ngara denied any involvement in drug trafficking and told the court that he was a transporter.

He said he had just been hired by Northern Funeral Parlour of South Africa to transport the body on their behalf.

Ngara said he had no knowledge that the body contained 1,4kg of heroin.

Mpili reportedly died as a result of complications associated with the heroin ampoules he allegedly swallowed while in Tanzania.

He is believed to have been acting as a conduit for transporting dangerous drugs from Tanzania to South Africa via Zimbabwe. The State alleges on October 19, after swallowing the heroin ampoules, he arrived at the Roadport terminus in Harare, but failed to catch a connecting bus, prompting him to sleep over.

While at the lodge, it is alleged the drugs exploded in his stomach and killed him instantly.

His body was later taken to a private parlour for a full post-mortem report.

On October 24, the two men allegedly visited the parlour and requested for Mpili’s body without the knowledge of the police, prompting officials to report the matter to police.