MANY a times, reports have swirled of celebrities, particularly musicians, having woken up dead under unclear circumstances or being involved in road accidents and losing their lives. Only after a few phone calls and checks will it be proven that it’s a hoax. BY WINSTONE ANTONIO In the past, there have been indications that so and so wanted to release a single or an album, hence his/her people spread the fake news that the artiste had died. It is said such death rumours are started to raise an artiste’s stacks. At times, such rumours are started by other people without the artiste knowing, and they will be shocked on receiving rumours about their own deaths. Just imagine waking up in the morning fit and strong, with news trending on different social media platforms that you are dead — all because of mischievous internet prankers? This is the fate that has befallen many local and international celebrities as death hoaxes tend to spread faster, thanks to the rise in the use of social media. The late former President Robert Mugabe died several times before his actual death, and he used to joke about it while taunting his naysayers. Also, the late music super star Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi, infuriated by numerous calls from journalists checking on him in the wake a series of death rumours, ended up coining a famous phrase, “kana ndafa ndichakufonerai” (I will call you when I am dead) before his demise on January 23 last year. In the latest death hoax, the celebrated gospel couple of Charles and Olivia Charamba “died” in a horrific car accident last week, sending their legion of fans into shock. The accident was said to have killed the Charambas on the spot, but the Rooted in Christ Ministries founder immediately dismissed the rumours through a video posted on his Facebook page. “Blessings to us all. Pastor Charamba and the family are all good and sound. Nyasha dzirikutichengeta. We thank all those who contacted us to enquire about the false news. We have not been involved in an accident. We also forgive the authors, scriptwriters and voice over artists who created the infamous joke,” he said. Music critic Fred Zindi said perpetrators of such “dry jokes” should be sued as the news tend to upset a lot of souls. “Although death hoaxes about celebrities are not a new phenomenon, perpetrators of such ‘jokes’ should be sued as the news upsets a lot of souls. Death hoaxes are widely perpetuated via social media by idle minds which have nothing to do except creating a story about the celebrity they either admire or hate,” he said. “If you go back 20 years, Oliver Mtukudzi had been dead more times than you can count before his actual death last year. With the advent of social media, the person who comes across such rumours on the internet does not usually bother to check if it is true. They simply share the information with others and begin circulating it, thus giving fuel to that fire.” The Charambas have joined a long list of other musicians among them dancehall chanter Winky D, Leonard “Karikoga” Zhakata, Jah Prayzah and Soul Jah