THE family of the late General Solomon Mujuru wants his remains exhumed to allow a new post mortem arguing the autopsy conducted by government pathologists was flawed, making it difficult for them to accept the results.
Family lawyer, Thakor Kewada made the request after a Cuban forensic pathologist, Dr Gabriel Aguero Gonzales who carried out the post mortem, testified at the ongoing inquest into Mujuru’s death.
South African experts engaged by the family have expressed reservations over the post mortem, arguing Dr Gonzales’ work fell short of international best practice.
Mujuru was killed when an unexplained fire gutted the main house at his Alamein Farm in Beatrice last August.
Dr Gonzales, who is attached to Parirenyatwa and Harare Central hospitals, concluded that the Zanu PF power-broker and independence war hero died due to carbon monoxide inhalation after the fire broke out.
But Kewada told the inquest that Dr Reggie Perumel, a renowned South African expert engaged by the family felt the post-mortem was not done properly since the local pathologists did not have suitable equipment and also failed to carry out various key procedures.
Dr Gonzalez, who spoke through an interpreter, admitted that he did not have adequate equipment but insisted that this did not affect the outcome of the autopsy.
"When I arrived at Commando Barracks there was no equipment to use and we had to send Inspector Viano who is the Member of Charge at Parirenyatwa to go and get some from Parirenyatwa hospital," said the Cuban expatriate.
"We did not get all that was needed but we proceeded anyhow. We could not establish completely that the inhalation of gases is the main cause of death because we did not have sufficient tools to come to that conclusion.
"We are taking into consideration that we were not able to study blood samples given the state of the body."
Kewada also accused Gonzales and his team of failing to conduct several key examinations.
"According to your post mortem report you did not follow normal procedure whereby the corpse is cut open and each organ carefully examined," Kewada said.
"You also did not examine the skull. As a forensic pathologist you are duty bound to examine each body part so as to arrive at a conclusive analysis and I am saying you did not do that.”
Gonzales defended his methods saying it was impossible to conduct all the procedures because most of the organs which should be examined had been damaged by the fire.
"It is true that I was supposed to cut open the corpse and take out each organ for a through examination but the state of the body prevented me from doing so,” he said.
"Besides there were no signs of trauma or any evidence that force had been used on the head so I concluded that there was no injury in the brain.”
Still, Kewada said his clients wanted a second opinion, telling the hearing: "The conclusion is my expert feels that the autopsy was not adequately and professionally done.”
The inquest continues of Monday with presiding magistrate, Walter Chikwanha expected to determine whether to call the South African experts to testify.