Man hangs self after kraal-head threatens to impound his cattle

A man from Waris Estate in Hwendedzo near Nerupiri in Gutu hanged himself after a kraal head threatened to impound two heads of cattle from him for assaulting his wife.

Morgan Magarabha stormed out of the kraal head's hut after the threat, took to his bicycle and rode back to his place which is about four kilometres away.

He arrived home and found his second wife there and immediately removed wirings from the breaks of his bicycle.

Magarabha found another rope to extend the wire and ran to a tall tree which is about 100 metres away as his wife pleaded with him to stop what he was just about to do but in vain.

Neighbours rushed in as the second wife cried out for help but they all looked helplessly as the man climbed to the dizzy heights of a tall indigenous tree. Some men are said to have tried to go after him but the tree was so steep no one succeeded.

Alfred Muchini, a secretary in the area also confirmed the incident and said Magarabha hanged at around 10am in the morning.

"Villagers gathered but no one could rescue him as the tree that he climbed up was too steep. The Police spent three hours trying to bring down his body and one officer was actually injured in the process," said Muchini.

Steven Munyanyiwa who is the councillor for the area also confirmed the incident and expressed concern at some rulings that came from the traditional leaders' courts.

"Some of the rulings lack empathy. Traditional leaders preside over many cases that are emotional and very sensitive and it has been my great concern. These leaders must be trained in presiding over cases. Traditional leaders must be fathers, they must have concern for the well-being of their people. They must not be monsters," said Munyanyiwa.

However, Johannes Madzimure, a friend to the late said Magarabha had always had suicide tendencies. He said the deceased's actual plan was to kill his first wife first and children then he would hang himself.

"He had prepared an axe to kill his wife with. The axe is there and I can show it to you. My friend always beat up his first wife. Sometimes he would lock her inside the house and beat her thoroughly. He always said his intention was to kill his wife and then commit suicide.

"He looked for the wife on the day he committed suicide but could not find her. It could have been a bigger disaster had he found her," said Madzimure.