Four men in Bulawayo allegedly committed suicide by hanging in separate incidents last week, Bulawayo police have confirmed.
This comes after police recently revealed that the city records an average of four suicides a month mostly by men.
Read here: https://cite.org.zw/byo-records-alarming-suicide-rate-majority-committed-by-men/
“On the 15th of July 2023 at around 3 pm, a male adult aged 35 of Emakhandeni Bulawayo was walking along a footpath from Entumbane complex proceeding to his place of residence. When he reached a bushy area near Woza Woza shopping centre, Bulawayo, he discovered the deceased hanging from a tree branch,” said acting Bulawayo police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele.
“He then phoned the police who came and discovered that the now deceased who is in his late thirties was hanging using a wire. The deceased was wearing a black jacket, khakhi work suit trousers and a pair of farmer shoes.”
Assist. Inspector Msebele said the body was discovered in its decomposing state.
“The body was searched and a small towel was found in the trousers pocket. An orange satchel with some clothes was also found at the scene. The body was examined and no visible injuries were found, however, it was discovered that the body was in a decomposing state.”
She said on the second incident which happened on the 14th of July 2023, the deceased Michael Gonye aged 28 years was complaining of tonsils and was left home sleeping by his father.
“The father returned home at around 2230 hours and went to his bedroom to sleep. On 15 July 2023 at around 8 am, the father woke up and looked for the now deceased in his room but he discovered that the door was locked from inside. He forced open the door and found his son hanging from the roof truss,” said Assist. Inspector Msebele.
She said the deceased used a belt to hang himself.
On the third incident, the deceased’s father went to Douglasdale feedlot at Pinedale Douglas-Dale where he works on the 6th of July 2023 and left his son alone at home who had just been released from Khami prison.
“On 15 July 2023 at around 1730 hours, the father returned home, opened the door and saw his son hanging from the roof. He used a rope to hang himself from the roof truss,” said Assist. Inspector Msebele.
Meanwhile, in yet another similar incident, a 56-year-old man from Mahatshula North hanged himself after a dispute which led to his wife’s death.
“On the 11th of July 2023 at around 1230 hours, a male adult aged 38 of Mahatshula north Bulawayo who was looking for firewood in a bushy area between Mahatshula and Woodville park, Bulawayo saw a body of a female adult lying on the ground across a small path he was using. He reported the matter to the police. The body was identified by a male adult aged 23 as his mother-in-law,” said Assist. Inspector Msebele.
She said on the same day at around 5 pm, another male adult who was looking for firewood in a bushy area between Mahatshula and Woodville park heard a phone ringing several times with no one responding to it, “he went closer to where the phone was ringing and discovered a male adult hanging from a tree, he then called the police who were about 100 metres away attending a murder scene.”
“The police searched the deceased and found a wallet containing US$25, some bank cards and an identity card. The now deceased was positively identified by his son-in-law who also told the police that he was the husband to the now deceased Cecilia Lunga who was found dead at the scene which the police had come to attend,” said Msebele.
