Teacher abuses schoolgirl, commits suicide in office

A Mvurwi high school teacher committed suicide by hanging himself with an electric cable in his office on Friday night.

Sources close to investigations allege Reason Kembo was rebuked by his headmaster Nathaniel Marusho who ordered him to write a report on indecent assault charges levelled against him hence he wrote a note blasting the head before hanging himself.

"The teacher is said to have abused a form three student while teaching her in his office, the girl went to report the matter to her father who subsequently went to see the headmaster in rage, the head called the teacher who denied the allegations and was ordered to put it in writing which later resulted in the suicide," said the source.

"A body search was done on him and we found a note which he blasted his head saying he was framing him hence he chose to die to prove his innocents."

The Secretary General for Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) Raymond Majongwe confirmed the untimely death of their member Kembo.

"Cdes , it is with great sadness this evening (Friday) to receive the sad news about the untimely passing on of one of our PTUZ members, Cde Reason Kembo who was a teacher at Mvurwi High School in Mazowe District in Mashonaland Central province," confirmed Majongwe.

"Cde Reason Kembo is said to have committed suicide, it is said he hanged himself in his office at Mvurwi High School for reasons we are still to establish and the PTUZ family is greatly saddened and shocked by this development."

Majongwe implored people to share their problem than to choosing to die following an increase in PTUZ members who are committing suicides due to lack of counselling.

"Surely, it is with sadness and concern that we are noting that a lot our members, non-members and even School Heads are ending their lives prematurely owing to a battery or coterie of reason ranging from marital problems, financial crises, sickness, frustrations , divorces, stigma allegations stemming from financial misappropriation or otherwise, poverty and many other problems.

"We would like to implore and beg everyone out there that let us have culture of sharing our problems no matter their enormity and sensitivity as this has great psychological therapy."

Kembo is survived by his wife Lilian and two sons.