The Limpopo High Court in Polokwane has granted the family of late businessman Theo Mphosi to exhume his remains.
On Tuesday, Judge Gerrit Muller ordered local health and the municipal authorities to grant the permit needed for the exhumation of Mphosi’s remains within two days of his ruling. This is for the purpose of removal for a forensic examination to assist in a criminal investigation.
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Mphosi was the CEO of his family’s Rheinland group of companies during the time of his death.
He died after attending a tombstone unveiling in Mpumalanga on 5 June 2022. He was buried in his hometown in Senwabarwana in Limpopo.
But his sister, Moditswi Cindrella Ramokoto lodged an urgent application to exhume his remains. Ramokoto argues that the first autopsy conducted by Dr Moleka Vincent Mojapelo concluded that Mphosi died from COVID-19 pneumonia.
But she says this is despite there not being evidence that the deceased was sick with Covid-19 prior to his death. According to Ramokoto Mphosi’s sudden death raised a lot of questions in that the symptoms he displayed prior to his death were not in line with symptoms of Covid-19 pneumonia.
FAMILY GRANTED PERMISSION TO EXHUME REMAINS OF THEO MPHOSI
She insists that the family want to conduct a second autopsy report. Including toxicology testing so that they can get to the bottom of what really caused his death. There are suspicions that Mphosi might have been poisoned, although no case has been opened against anyone.
In a seven-page ruling, Muller ordered the police to work with experts appointed by Ramokoto. To ensure a second autopsy was conducted.
Mphosi’s widow, Nchadi, and his father, Sidipa have also made their request that they have their own expert pathologist, Dr Hestelle van Staden, attend his exhumation and second autopsy. The court has also granted the request.
