Sunday Star Times
January 21 2007
Charlene farewelled in 'swirl of controversy'
by Nicola Boyes
Investigations look to cultural customs
about sex and Aids POLICE HAVE been briefed on African beliefs about sex,
including the myth that sex with a virgin can cure Aids, as part of the
Christchurch investigation into a Zimbabwean girl's death.
Charlene Makaza, 10, was yesterday
buried by her Christchurch family after a moving ceremony, which highlighted
the "swirl of controversy" surrounding her death.
Last week, police revealed she had
serious injuries consistent with a vicious sexual assault, which occurred soon
before her death a fortnight ago.
Charlene's aunt found her in bed
having trouble breathing on January 6. Her condition worsened and she died the
next morning in Christchurch Hospital. Police launched a homicide inquiry after
an initial postmortem showed she had been suffocated.
She and her 12-year-old sister, Charmaine, lived with their aunt and uncle, Sifiso and George Gwaze, their 24-year-old son, George, and
20-year-old daughter Nothando at their rented
Christchurch home. They were all home when she was found and police have said
the family was the focus of their investigations.
Sources close to the investigation
said police had been briefed about African beliefs and practises
surrounding sex, including the myth that sex with a virgin could cure Aids and
about Zimbabwe's appalling child sex abuse statistics.
Zimbabwe is battling an orphan
crisis with more than one million children left without parents as the Aids
rate soars.
At Charlene's funeral yesterday
morning, Pastor Jeff Whittaker, of Bryndwr Baptist
Church, told about 150 mourners, including many from the Zimbabwean community
and young school friends, that mystery surrounded her death.
"Not only that
but there is a swirl of controversy."
Normally families could get on with
mourning once their loved ones were buried but that would be some time off for
the Gwazes because of ongoing inquiries into her
death, he said.
Charlene's older cousin, Maggie
Gwaze, of Auckland, said she had been cared for by the family since she was
seven months old, along with her sister. It was "one of the best things
that happened to our family", she said.
"Having two new sisters brought
a special joy to our family."
Charlene's parents died when she was
too young to feel their loss. She was the youngest of 35 grandchildren and was
"very loved".
Maggie Gwaze said Charlene had been
very excited to move to New Zealand from Zimbabwe, more than a year ago.
Charlene visited her in Auckland on
December 26 for a week-long holiday, enjoying sightseeing and shopping.
On her return, four days before she
died, Charlene turned to her aunt and said: "I just wanted to say thank
you for looking after me."
"Her death has been devastating
to the whole family... As a family, we are truly grateful to God for giving us
this child," Maggie Gwaze said.
The service also heard how Charlene
was reluctant to play sports but loved singing and had a deep Christian belief,
as had the Gwaze family.
Charlene's small white coffin,
adorned with a bouquet of flowers, was carried out of the service by her four cousins.
Ahead was her sister, clutching a photograph of Charlene and a white teddy
bear.
Since Charlene's death, her sister
has been taken into Child, Youth and Family care. Police have interviewed the Gwazes' friends. The family had rented their Hollyford Ave home in Bryndwr for
more than a year. Their landlords were also interviewed by police last week and
confirmed the house had new locks when the Gwazes
moved in. Police stressed there were no signs of an intruder in the two-
storied weatherboard home but hadn't ruled out the possibility.
According to the New Zealand Aids
Foundation, more than half the 497 people diagnosed with heterosexually
acquired HIV infection in New Zealand in the past decade were African.
Results from a second postmortem on
Charlene and other forensic tests are due in a few weeks.