Man hangs himself in bizarre circumstances

A MAN from Bulawayo was found hanging in his bedroom in Cowdray Park suburb, but his family remains with so many unanswered questions after some strangers pulled down the body from where it was hanging.

Mthulisi Matshazi, 20, was found hanging on Saturday, 30 minutes after a tenant at his parents' home last spoke to him as she went to the nearby shops.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango said they were investigating the matter.

"I confirm that we received a report of a man who was found hanging in his bedroom on Saturday and investigations are underway," she said.

The tenant, Privilege Chapwanya, said the man took his life after his parents had left home for the city centre at around 1PM.

"Mthulisi was doing his laundry when I told him I wanted to go to the shops. He told me I should come back quickly because he also wanted to visit his aunt who lives in the same neighbourhood as us. I asked him to go first and I would go to the shops the next day since we didn't want to leave the house unattended. I insisted but he refused and then I left," said Chapwanya.

She said when she closed the door, he locked it from inside.

"After about 30 minutes I was back in the company of my sister. Firstly, I noticed that the front door which is rarely open was ajar, but I didn't use it and went to the back one. I found that door wide open as well and his shoes were on the door step. When I entered the corridor, I saw water flowing out of the house and I quickly dashed to the kitchen calling out for Mthulisi," Chapwanya said.

She said after searching for him for some moment, she found his body hanging in his bedroom.

"He looked fresh and clean like he had just come out of the bathroom," Chapwanya said.

She said she notified their neighbours and while they were waiting for the police who had been called, strange things happened.

"Four young men all wearing black arrived and just walked past everyone, straight into Mthulisi's bedroom. Although I was in shock, I didn't miss this extraordinary part. These men went into Mthulisi's room but quickly left. As they walked past us outside, they kicked flowers and made sounds and gestures in anger," Chapwanya said.

She said she asked neighbours about the men, but no-one knew them.

"After a few minutes another man came in and went straight into the room. He came out after a few minutes. As he left the room, we all heard a loud sound but because we were terrified we waited for him to go out of the gate before we could check on what had transpired. We quickly rushed inside and found Mthulisi's body on the ground, in a kneeling position with the rope still hanging from the ceiling.

Chapwanya said Mthulisi's father arrived before the police took the body away.

The father, Marko Matshazi, said he did not suspect that his son was troubled to the point of killing himself.

"I didn't see any change of behaviour in him of late, or signs of being troubled by anything. On that day he initially wanted to escort his mother to town and had asked her to buy him a pair of takkies which she had actually done," he said.

"However, I don't understand the circumstances behind the death of my son. Who were those boys who entered my son's room and whom none of my neighbours could identify? Who has the guts to come and pull down a dead body when they're not the police?"