News / Regional
Pregnant woman found dead in river
03 Jan 2019 at 08:17hrs | Views
A 20-YEAR-OLD Gwanda woman allegedly reportedly drowned in Mtshabezi River in a suspected suicide after falling pregnant out of wedlock.
Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the incident which occurred on Saturday last week.
"I can confirm that we received a sudden death case involving a woman who was found floating at Mtshabezi River Zinwa water treatment plant.
Investigations are underway and the body has been taken to Bulawayo for post mortem.
"As police we urge people to desist from committing suicide when faced with challenges. People should seek help and counselling services," he said.
A source close to the investigations who preferred anonymity said a Zinwa worker found the body of Pauline Chibarisa floating in the river and alerted the police.
The councillor of Garikai Houses where the woman stayed, Ntuthuko Ndebele, said Chibarisa reportedly took her own life after her family rebuked her for falling pregnant out of wedlock.
Clr Ndebele said the man who had impregnated her is also reported to have denied responsibility thereby leaving her desperate. He said Chibarisa left home on Saturday morning with her younger sister and they later parted ways but Chibarisa did not return home and was later found dead in Mtshabezi River.
"There is a woman from my area who is suspected to have thrown herself in Mtshabezi River over a pregnancy. The report I got is that this lady fell pregnant and she was staying with her aunt in Garikai Houses. Her relatives gave her a torrid time because of this pregnancy as she wasn't married.
"To add on to her frustrations the man who had impregnated her also denied responsibility. Chibarisa left home with her younger sister and along the way told her that she wanted to kill herself because of the pregnancy but her young sister tried to talk her out of it. They later parted ways and Chibarisa was later found dead," Clr Ndebele said the incident had left the community shocked and saddened. He said it was a pity that youngsters were resorting to suicide in a bid to escape challenges they were facing.
Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the incident which occurred on Saturday last week.
"I can confirm that we received a sudden death case involving a woman who was found floating at Mtshabezi River Zinwa water treatment plant.
Investigations are underway and the body has been taken to Bulawayo for post mortem.
"As police we urge people to desist from committing suicide when faced with challenges. People should seek help and counselling services," he said.
A source close to the investigations who preferred anonymity said a Zinwa worker found the body of Pauline Chibarisa floating in the river and alerted the police.
The councillor of Garikai Houses where the woman stayed, Ntuthuko Ndebele, said Chibarisa reportedly took her own life after her family rebuked her for falling pregnant out of wedlock.
Clr Ndebele said the man who had impregnated her is also reported to have denied responsibility thereby leaving her desperate. He said Chibarisa left home on Saturday morning with her younger sister and they later parted ways but Chibarisa did not return home and was later found dead in Mtshabezi River.
"There is a woman from my area who is suspected to have thrown herself in Mtshabezi River over a pregnancy. The report I got is that this lady fell pregnant and she was staying with her aunt in Garikai Houses. Her relatives gave her a torrid time because of this pregnancy as she wasn't married.
"To add on to her frustrations the man who had impregnated her also denied responsibility. Chibarisa left home with her younger sister and along the way told her that she wanted to kill herself because of the pregnancy but her young sister tried to talk her out of it. They later parted ways and Chibarisa was later found dead," Clr Ndebele said the incident had left the community shocked and saddened. He said it was a pity that youngsters were resorting to suicide in a bid to escape challenges they were facing.
Source - Chronicle
