News / Regional
Grandpa, 76, squanders family funds, commits suicide
13 Jan 2015 at 07:15hrs | Views
A 76-YEAR-OLD man from Bulilima District allegedly hanged himself near his homestead after squandering family funds from the sale of a beast on beer.
Richard Sola of Bhaladza Village under chief Kandana first tried to commit suicide on Saturday morning but neighbours restrained him.
Later on the same day, Sola hanged himself from a tree using a rope following a misunderstanding with his wife for squandering payment received for a beast he had sold on beer.
The money spent on beer could not be immediately established.
His neighbour, Melusi Nkomo, said he was the first to spot the man's body in the early hours of Sunday following a search after Sola went missing.
He said the Sola had moved around the community telling people that his wife was victimising him and was bidding friends and relatives farewell, saying he was going to commit suicide.
"He also said that he was being ill treated at his home and that he was going to commit suicide in order to get some rest," said Nkomo.
Some villagers followed him, took the rope and gathered at his homestead for a counselling session. Nkomo said the villagers later dispersed assuming that Sola had changed his mind on the decision to take his own life.
"I also left for my homestead and I was later alerted around 1AM that Sola was missing from his homestead and the rope was also gone. We searched around the area and I spotted Sola hanging from a tree about a kilometre from his homestead and then I alerted others," said Nkomo.
He said Sola's death shocked the community as he had pretended that he had abandoned the idea of killing himself.
Ernest Dube, the councillor for Gwambe area, where Sola lived said according to information he received, the man and his wife sold a beast and the buyer paid part of the money.
Instead of taking the money home, he squandered all of it on beer.
"By the time Sola went home he was left with close to nothing and this did not go down well with his wife. An altercation is reported to have started with his wife demanding the money he had squandered. On the following day he committed suicide," said Ndlovu.
He said Sola would be buried at his homestead tomorrow.
Richard Sola of Bhaladza Village under chief Kandana first tried to commit suicide on Saturday morning but neighbours restrained him.
Later on the same day, Sola hanged himself from a tree using a rope following a misunderstanding with his wife for squandering payment received for a beast he had sold on beer.
The money spent on beer could not be immediately established.
His neighbour, Melusi Nkomo, said he was the first to spot the man's body in the early hours of Sunday following a search after Sola went missing.
He said the Sola had moved around the community telling people that his wife was victimising him and was bidding friends and relatives farewell, saying he was going to commit suicide.
"He also said that he was being ill treated at his home and that he was going to commit suicide in order to get some rest," said Nkomo.
Some villagers followed him, took the rope and gathered at his homestead for a counselling session. Nkomo said the villagers later dispersed assuming that Sola had changed his mind on the decision to take his own life.
"I also left for my homestead and I was later alerted around 1AM that Sola was missing from his homestead and the rope was also gone. We searched around the area and I spotted Sola hanging from a tree about a kilometre from his homestead and then I alerted others," said Nkomo.
He said Sola's death shocked the community as he had pretended that he had abandoned the idea of killing himself.
Ernest Dube, the councillor for Gwambe area, where Sola lived said according to information he received, the man and his wife sold a beast and the buyer paid part of the money.
Instead of taking the money home, he squandered all of it on beer.
"By the time Sola went home he was left with close to nothing and this did not go down well with his wife. An altercation is reported to have started with his wife demanding the money he had squandered. On the following day he committed suicide," said Ndlovu.
He said Sola would be buried at his homestead tomorrow.
Source - chronicle
