Suicides hit Mutare school

ST ANDREW'S Mweyamutsvene High School was recently plunged into mourning forcing it to send some students for an early holiday following nasty events in which a teacher died after taking poison, while a female student committed suicide by throwing herself in a disused well five days later.

The teacher, Tawanda Mundondo (34), allegedly took poison and died on admission at Mutare Provincial Hospital on July 29.

Five days later, a Form Three student, Daisy Mutandwa (15) plunged headlong into a disused well on August 2.

Mundondo was a former lecturer at Magamba Vocational Training Centre. He was buried at Yeovil Cemetery in Mutare last Friday.

Daisy was buried in Mpudzi this week and some students who shared a dormitory with her were sent on early vacation after being traumatised.

Manicaland deputy police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Muzondiwa Clean, confirmed the two's death, adding that investigations into circumstances surrounding the deaths were in progress.

"It is true that we recorded two suicide cases at Mweyamutsvene High School. The first incident involving John Mundondo occurred on July 29 and the second in which a Form Three student, Daisy Mutandwa, threw herself into a deep well occurred on August 2.

"We are still investigating circumstances surrounding the respective deaths," said Asst Insp Clean.

Asst Insp Clean said Mundondo left his wife, Leah Bhuku (28) in the bedroom on July 28, around 10pm pretending to be visiting the toilet.

Mundondo did not return.

"Bhuku woke up around 3am and on realising that her husband had not returned, she alerted Allen Kurwaisimba, who is also a teacher at the same school and the two conducted a search.

"The two located Mundondo lying in a nearby bush vomiting and frothing from the mouth and nose. They quickly alerted the school head, Mr Abel Zebron Rubende (46), who reacted quickly and rushed Mundondo to Mutare Provincial Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival," said Asst Insp Clean.

"On August 2, Daisy went missing from the school dormitory around 6am and a search was conducted around the school yard, during which it was noted that a deep well that had been kept shut over the year had its lid opened.

Out of suspicion, the authorities asked someone to get down the well and investigate. When the guy had almost resigned and was about to get out, Daisy's body emerged from the water. A report was made to the police who attended the scene and retrieved her body from the well," said Asst Insp Clean.

Sources at the Roman Catholic-run school said Mundondo, who quit his lectureship for greener pastures in South Africa, and rejoined the education sector following an amnesty by Government has been showing panicky behaviour and was counselled by colleagues over "fears" that he might lose his job.

The source added that Mundondo had lost confidence in his ability to meet or exceed targets set for him by one of his superior.

They also said Daisy was uncharacteristically reclusive, withdrawn and often accused her family of failing to provide for her scholarly needs.

Sources also said the teenager had high suicide tendencies and had written numerous suicide notes.

The girl allegedly bade farewell to her colleagues prior to her eventual death.

"Her suicide tendencies were very high. She had written several notes indicating her insatiable desire to commit suicide. She even bade farewell to other students asking them to give their requests to God arguing that she would soon be with the creator. Her mom is a single parent who was trying her best, but she was not satisfied by all that.

"We do not know how she managed to remove the lid on the well. The post-mortem results indicated that she died of suffocation. Her lungs had been filled with water and several students who were close to her and those who share the dormitory with her were so disturbed," said the source.