UZ student makes suicide video, hangs

A Third-year Electrical Engineering student at the University of Zimbabwe recorded on video how his estate should be distributed, demanded that his body be cremated and sent messages to his friends announcing his death before committing suicide.

Kranos Nyangari, 21, hanged himself at his home in Bulawayo's North End suburb using an electrical cord. The incident happened last Friday at around 11PM and his parents blame influence of hip-hop music for his death. Kranos went to their neighbours' house and asked for a ladder which he used to access the geyser tank in the pantry where he tied the cord to hang himself.

Through a video recording, Kranos demanded that his body be cremated and the ashes scattered around the yard and watered.

A Chronicle news crew yesterday visited mourners who were gathered at the family house and managed to speak to Kranos's father, Wilbert Nyangari, who attributed his son's death to the supernatural evil forces emanating from hip-hop.

"I suspect that my son was under some demonic influence when he committed suicide. In the video Kranos said 'what I'm doing, I don't know why I'm doing it, but it has to be done'. From the way my son is crying on the video recording, it shows the suicide was involuntary," Nyangari said.

He said his son was obsessed with hip-hop and cursed the day his son was introduced to that genre of music.

"I believe my son was being initiated into satanism through this hip-hop music. The day he was introduced to this type of music is when all things went wrong.

"The devil targeted my son because of his outstanding intelligence. At Ordinary level he attained eight As, at Advanced level, 19 points in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Geography. He was a well disciplined child who loved music especially hip-hop," he said.

Nyangari said after going through the sent messages of his son's mobile phone, he discovered that he had sent messages to his friends announcing his death.

"On December 7 last year, my son sent a message to his friend (name supplied) announcing his own death which had his friends confused. The message read 'Kranos is dead and his body must be cremated, his ashes must be scattered right round the yard and watered'," Nyangari said.

In his last video which Chronicle is in possession of, an emotional Kranos was captured saying his last words to his parents and younger brother before distributing his belongings among the three.

"If you are watching this, then you probably know that l'm dead. I'm sorry dad, you might not have been the best dad in the world but I love you.

"I'm sorry mom for the pain that I've caused you. I'm sorry Kuda, you're still young and you'll not understand why I did this, but you'll one day when you're grown up,

"My blackberry goes to my mother, my tablet to my father, my desktop computer, bicycle and all my clothes go to Kuda. All my clothes should not leave this house," Kranos said in the video recording.

Kranos also left behind a list of his bank account, Ecocash, mobile phone and desktop passwords.

Nyangari urged parents to be involved in their children's selection of music and to also play a vital role in monitoring their gadgets and spiritual life.

Bulawayo Provincial Police Spokesperson Assistant Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo could not be reached for comment.

Last week, a Midlands Sate University student allegedly committed suicide by drinking a poisonous substance in front of the institution's Administration Block in Gweru.

Kranos is expected to be buried today at his rural homestead in Masvingo in defiance of his will to be cremated as his father said the family could not be led by a demoniac wish.