PAIN and uncertainty continue to haunt Livingstone Sunhwa’s family after results from the eagerly awaited Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) tests on his presumed remains came back inconclusive, The Manica Post can reveal.
As a result, additional tests are now in the pipeline to
establish whether the remains are Livingstone’s or not.
Livingstone, who was a Form Four student at St Matthias
Tsonzo High School in Mutasa, disappeared from the institution on December 6
and he remains unaccounted for.
Prior to his disappearance, Livingstone had been arrested
on theft charges.
He was, however, allegedly released as he was due to sit
for his English final exam paper.
Unfortunately he never showed up for the examination and
has been missing ever since then.
On June 20, the Criminal Investigation Department, which is
in charge of investigations, discovered Livingstone’s presumed remains a
stone’s throw away from St Matthias Tsonzo High School.
Blood samples were collected from his mother, Ms Selina
Tadya and sister Pride Sunhwa, together with part of the skeletal remains, for
DNA testing.
Seven weeks down the line, the family still has no answers
as the results were inconclusive.
DNA testing is said to be inconclusive when it fails to
produce information that allows an individual to be either included or excluded
as the source of the biological evidence.
Normally, three types of results can occur in DNA testing –
inclusion, exclusion, and inconclusive results.
The Manica Post has since established that a round table
meeting involving Ms Tadya, investigators and the DNA testing service providers
was held in Mutare last week on Friday, with the inconclusive results being
presented there.
Authorities revealed that results should have been released
within 21 days, but the process dragged on for more than two months due to the
putrefaction of the collected samples.
Putrefaction refers to the destruction of soft tissues that
takes place shortly after death and is due to the action of micro-organisms on
the body.
Research shows that human decomposition begins just a few
minutes after death via a process of self-digestion known as autolysis, with
temperature, humidity, rain and the sun, among other factors, playing an
important role in the process.
Therefore, investigators were forced to collect bone
samples for DNA testing as the soft tissues like skin, muscles, nervous tissues
and hair had decomposed and had been washed away.
Bones, including teeth, have a hard structure which
protects DNA from degradation or rather slows down the process by enclosing it
in hard and protective materials.
However, the investigators have since learnt that the
collected samples had been compromised by extensive exposure to the sun, the
rain and the wind.
Although Manicaland provincial police spokesperson,
Inspector Nobert Muzondo was not readily available to comment on the latest
developments, Ms Tadya confirmed the meeting.
“We are at a dead end, nothing is moving seven weeks since
the discovery of the remains. No concrete answer could be reached with the
collected samples. They told us that the samples did not yield enough DNA,
hence there was no conclusive answer.
“It will drag on because they have collected additional
samples, the teeth, which they say can also be a reliable source of DNA in post
mortem testing. They explained the challenges they are facing, but due to the
gravity of this case, they said they cannot declare inconclusive results, hence
the need for another round of trials with additional samples.
“This means waiting for another 21 days. If they fail to
come up with conclusive results within 21 days, they will then recommend that
the samples be sent for further testing either in South Africa or Botswana
where there is more advanced technology,” she said.
“Their main argument is that the remains were exposed to
the rain and the sun for a very long time such that DNA was eroded. However,
from my side they did not collect additional samples as the ones initially
collected are still valid,” she said.
Ms Tadya is praying for closure on Livingston’s case, which
has dragged on for eight months.
“It is painful and it’s straining me, my life is on hold. I
can’t do anything. I cannot go back to work in South Africa. I am just seated
at home with no money, yet everything is demanding money.
“Soon schools will be open, I need to raise school fees for
Livingstone’s sister. Where will I get the school fees when I am not working as
I wait for the DNA tests results? We desperately need conclusive results to
bring closure to this case.
“It hurts us as a family because we are still mourning and
we do not know when the mourning will end. We are not at peace. We can only be
at peace after ascertaining whether those are his remains or not and according
Livingstone a befitting burial. What we are going through is awful and
devastating,” she said.
If the DNA test results turn out negative, Ms Tadya said
the search party will continue until Livingstone is located.
Discovery of the remains led to the suspension of St
Matthias Tsonzo High School headmaster, Mr Maxwell Sambona, to pave way for
investigations.
Acting Manicaland Provincial Education Director, Mr Richard
Gabaza said the matter is being handled internally and could not disclose
further information.
“We cannot publicise what course of action has been taken.
What you should know is that police are yet to release the DNA test results and
we are still waiting for them to assist us in this matter. Administrative
issues are ongoing alongside the police procedures,” he said. Manica Post
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