Unidentified bodies at police depot

SEVERAL graves of unidentified people have been discovered at Ntabazinduna Police Training Depot in Matabeleland North.Police said yesterday they were making efforts to identify the remains with the view of locating relatives. They said they were not sure of the number of graves at the two sites at the training depot since some were not visible.

Some of the graves were first discovered in 2004 when the ZRP took over the area from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture (now the Ministry of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment).

It was still not clear whether some parts of the sites have mass graves.
Speaking to the Governor for Matabeleland North Thokozile Mathuthu, Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, Chief Neville Ndondo and acting Chief Ndiweni, the depot assistant commandant Superintendent Ben Chabata said they decided to protect the graves by fencing the two sites.
"As a cultured organisation, we decided that the areas be fenced to protect them from people and animals which graze in the area," he said.
"As of now we don't know how many graves there are."

Supt Chabata said they wanted to work with local leaders and the community to help in identifying the people buried in the graves.

He said they decided to plant trees near the graves to provide shade.Governor Mathuthu said people buried at the sites should be identified. She applauded the police for protecting the graves. "I feel very proud that we have a team of leaders. We want to thank them," she said.

Saturday, 28 January 2012 00:00
Freeman Razemba

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