News / Regional
83-year-old man commits suicide to avoid appearing in a traditional court
24 Apr 2013 at 07:57hrs | Views
THE body of an 83-year-old man was found hanged from a tree in Jotsholo, Lupane, last Saturday, Matabeleland North police said.
Investigators say Phillimon Sibanda had been summoned to a hearing at a traditional court by the local chief when he is believed to have taken his own life.
Police would not say why Chief Mabhikwa had summoned the elderly man from Manganganga Village.
"Sibanda was supposed to attend court on Saturday but failed to turn up," according to Inspector Billie Dube, the spokesman for Matabeleland North police.
Inspector Dube said Chief Mabhikwa had sent his messenger of court Mafavuke Ncube a day earlier to serve him with the summons.
The elderly man's daughter, Sakhile Sibanda, told investigators he had last seen his father retiring to bed at 7PM on Friday.
Shortly after 6.30AM the next morning, the alarm was raised after he was found to be missing from his hut. Within minutes of the discovery, he was found hanged from a tree branch in a nearby corn field and police were called.
Inspector Dube said: "People should never resort to committing suicide as a way of solving their problems. They should share their problems with others. People should seek assistance from professional counsellors if they have problems that they think are beyond them."
Investigators say Phillimon Sibanda had been summoned to a hearing at a traditional court by the local chief when he is believed to have taken his own life.
Police would not say why Chief Mabhikwa had summoned the elderly man from Manganganga Village.
Inspector Dube said Chief Mabhikwa had sent his messenger of court Mafavuke Ncube a day earlier to serve him with the summons.
The elderly man's daughter, Sakhile Sibanda, told investigators he had last seen his father retiring to bed at 7PM on Friday.
Shortly after 6.30AM the next morning, the alarm was raised after he was found to be missing from his hut. Within minutes of the discovery, he was found hanged from a tree branch in a nearby corn field and police were called.
Inspector Dube said: "People should never resort to committing suicide as a way of solving their problems. They should share their problems with others. People should seek assistance from professional counsellors if they have problems that they think are beyond them."
Source - TC
