High Court gives burial rights to Moana’s father

A High Court judge in Harare has awarded rights to the late socialite and fitness trainer Mitchelle ‘Moana’ Amuli’s bural.

They are ‘awarded to the father of the deceased to lead the burial ceremonies of the deceased and in consultation with the mother of the deceased and the maternal family’.

Justice Kwenda delivered the ruling on Thursday a week after the original burial following DNA test results for her remains had been confirmed.

The court said that in spite of Moana electing not to practice the culture of her father who is Muslim, at death, ‘such choices are relinquished to one’s origin of living who take charge, noone buries self!’

Jusitice Kwenda added that Moana still used the Amuli surname and paternity was not in dispute, with damages (dhemeji) having paid the father being accepted as such.

A dispute between Moana’s father Ishmael Amuli and her mother Yolanda Kuvaonga had spilled into the public and eventually the courts. Ismael Amuli insisted Moana be buried according to his Muslim customs while Kuvaonga insisted on a different ritual.

Moana died on 8 November in a car accident that also claimed the life of socialite and businessman Genius ‘Ginimbi’ Kadungure. They were all coming from a party to celebrate Moana’s 26th birthday at Kadungure’s club Dreams Nightlife. Two other friends Alisha Adams from Mozambique and Limumba Karim from Malawi also perished.