High Court decides today as Moana’s mother blocks private burial of her daughter

HARARE: THE HIGH COURT will today have to pass a decision on the burial of socialite and fitness trainer Michelle “Moana” Amuli to settle the dispute between her parents over her burial.

This comes after the deceased’s mother Ms Yolander Kuvaoga, represented by her lawyer Mr Jerome Madondo, made an urgent chamber application at the High Court to nullify the burial order issued on November 18.

The application is meant to prevent her estranged husband Mr Ishmael Amuli from abnegating their prior agreement that Moana be buried at Zororo Cemetery.

She wants the court to grant an interim interdict to stop the burial until the finalisation of the matter.

High Court Judge Justice Pisirai Kwenda last week deferred the matter to today by consent of both parties’ lawyers.

The judge wants to hear the two parties’ oral evidence before making an informed decision on the dispute.

He also wants Mr Amuli’s lawyer Mr Marcus Zvirahwa to file his opposing papers.

In her founding affidavit, Moana’s mother said she made an agreement with Mr Amuli that their daughter be buried at Zororo Cemetery in the presence of the deceased’s relatives and friends.

She said Mr Amuli later told her that Moana would be buried according to the rights of Islam in the absence her fans and mother’s family, contrary to what they had agreed earlier on.

“I have a reasonable apprehension that I, together with other female sisters, colleagues and relations would be excluded from the funeral rites which would be unconscionable,” Kuvaoga argued.

She said Mr Amuli stated that she would be excluded from the funeral gathering which in her opinion would be unacceptable as she is Moana’s mother.

Ms Kuvaoga told the court that Moana had remote ties to Islam as evidenced by her lifestyle.

Mr Kuvaoga said Mr Amuli had not seen Moana for over a year. Ms Kuvaoga said Mr Amuli had changed the burial place from Zororo Cemetery to Warren Hills to exclude from the funeral gathering.

Ms Kuvaoga said once Moana was buried, the position becomes irreversible and it would be unfair for her and other mourners to be denied an opportunity to bid her farewell.