A stir was created when a mysterious coffin was discovered at one of Harare’s oldest high schools.
Speculations arose that the coffin, found in an off-limits room, might have been used for rituals and contained a body.
However, a former teacher from Girls High School shed light on the matter, revealing that the wooden coffin had been donated by a funeral parlour in the 1990s.
Its purpose was for the school’s drama activities, particularly a popular drama called ‘Secrets.’
The coffin was stored in a storeroom and never used to hold an actual body.
The headmistress at the time, Thandiwe Dumbutshena, was aware of this donation, but it seems her successor may not have known about it, leading to the confusion.
Nevertheless, the ex-staff member assured that the coffin never had any human remains in it.
“I was a staff member at the time the coffin was donated by a local funeral parlour for the school drama activities.
“The drama dubbed ‘Secrets’ was popular at the time and the coffin was dumped in one of the storerooms.
“I want to believe that the headmistress who replaced the late Dumbutshena never came across the coffin and it never contained a body at any time,” she said.
She urged students not to be scared by the wooden coffin story.
The coffin left students shaken following its discovery.
Education officials had to break down the storeroom door as school officials claimed they didn’t have the keys.
Concerned parents suspected ritual activities and demanded a thorough investigation.
However, during a meeting of the School Development Committee, one member expressed ignorance about the coffin’s whereabouts.
The committee resolved to go on local radio to clarify the situation and bring peace and confidence to both students and parents.
“I am yet to engage the caretaker, but we checked as a team, both at the school and boarding area, and never saw the coffin.
“We met as the SDC and agreed to go on radio to clear the air about the matter to bring peace and confidence to both students and parents concerning the facts we have gathered,” Charles Munhenga said.
Despite the truth being revealed, some parents and students still feel traumatised and wish to see the coffin disposed of to put an end to the unsettling situation.
