News / Regional
Girl, 13, hangs over church service ban
23 Mar 2016 at 05:36hrs | Views
A 13-YEAR-OLD girl from Gweru allegedly hanged herself yesterday after her mother stopped her from attending church services at night.
Joyce Taga, a Form One school drop-out, was found hanging from a tree in the yard of a house in Mkoba 9 suburb where her mother is a tenant.
Joyce's grandmother, who identified herself only as Gogo Nhenga, said her granddaughter hanged herself from a guava tree at around 6AM.
A day before she took her life, the girl's mother allegedly rebuked her for coming home late after she claimed that she was coming from a church crusade.
Her mother is alleged to have told her that she was no longer allowed to go for any night prayers and this did not go down well with her.
Gogo Nhenga said at around 6AM yesterday, she was awakened by her daughter who told her that Joyce had hanged herself.
"I got a call from her mother at around 6AM informing me that she had found Joyce hanging from a tree in their backyard. I quickly rushed to the scene and was shocked to see her hanging there," she said.
"I asked my daughter what could've led Joyce to commit suicide and she told me that she only rebuked her for coming home late before advising her not to attend any evening church services."
She said after Joyce was reprimanded, she did not eat her supper, only to be found hanging the on the following morning.
The deceased's friend from a neighbouring house said Joyce seemed troubled as they came back from church on Monday night.
"After church I tried to talk to her on our way home but she was moody and kept quiet all the way. We then continued walking in silence and I wanted to ask her today why she was moody. I was saddened when she was found dead this morning because I didn't have a chance to ask her," she said.
Acting Midlands police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende could not be reached for comment as her phone was unreachable.
Only last week, a Nust student from Mkoba 15 suburb in Gweru hanged himself in his bedroom after he allegedly squandered his tuition fees.
Joyce Taga, a Form One school drop-out, was found hanging from a tree in the yard of a house in Mkoba 9 suburb where her mother is a tenant.
Joyce's grandmother, who identified herself only as Gogo Nhenga, said her granddaughter hanged herself from a guava tree at around 6AM.
A day before she took her life, the girl's mother allegedly rebuked her for coming home late after she claimed that she was coming from a church crusade.
Her mother is alleged to have told her that she was no longer allowed to go for any night prayers and this did not go down well with her.
Gogo Nhenga said at around 6AM yesterday, she was awakened by her daughter who told her that Joyce had hanged herself.
"I asked my daughter what could've led Joyce to commit suicide and she told me that she only rebuked her for coming home late before advising her not to attend any evening church services."
She said after Joyce was reprimanded, she did not eat her supper, only to be found hanging the on the following morning.
The deceased's friend from a neighbouring house said Joyce seemed troubled as they came back from church on Monday night.
"After church I tried to talk to her on our way home but she was moody and kept quiet all the way. We then continued walking in silence and I wanted to ask her today why she was moody. I was saddened when she was found dead this morning because I didn't have a chance to ask her," she said.
Acting Midlands police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende could not be reached for comment as her phone was unreachable.
Only last week, a Nust student from Mkoba 15 suburb in Gweru hanged himself in his bedroom after he allegedly squandered his tuition fees.
Source - chronicle
