Jilted woman kills self

A WOMAN from Bulawayo who could not stomach being jilted by her husband for another woman committed suicide by allegedly drinking a poisonous substance.

The couple were general hands at Fairbridge Police Station on the outskirts of the city.

A source close to the couple said the deceased, who was only identified as Mrs Shumba, had dragged her husband to court.

She allegedly consumed the pesticide on Tuesday following an undisclosed court judgment that did not go down well with her.

Mrs Shumba died in the early hours of Wednesday at the United Bulawayo Hospitals where she had been transferred from the camp clinic.

"She took the pesticide and in a few minutes she was writhing in pain. Neighbours ferried her to the local camp clinic in a wheelbarrow. She began having seizures and frothing from the mouth. Nurses immediately referred her to UBH for further treatment. She died in the early hours of Wednesday," said the source.

He said the couple had four children.

Acting police spokesperson for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Assistant Inspector Abednico Ncube, said he had not yet received a report on the incident.

"I can't comment on the matter as we haven't received that report yet," said Asst Insp Ncube.

A neighbour who spoke on condition of anonymity said Shumba's marriage had been on the rocks. "His wife had actually reported him to the courts for maintenance of their children as Shumba was no longer taking responsibility for his children.

"The wife had revealed that her husband had eloped with his new lover to their matrimonial house in Chivhu. He also took off with a car which the two had bought as a couple," the neighbour said.

She said the last straw for the woman was a court ruling that was handed down on Monday.

"She had reported the matter to the police and upon her return from court she wasn't herself. She only told us that life was tough. The next thing her children told us that she had taken poison and was writhing in pain.

"We rushed her to the camp hospital in a wheelbarrow where she was immediately transferred to UBH. She died after a short while."

Officers in the camp revealed that when Shumba came to the funeral that evening, the deceased's angry relatives almost attacked him and he was chased away.

The family has ferried the body to her rural home where she will be buried. The name of the rural home could not be ascertained.