News / Regional
Gagged granny found hanging in Mpilo hospital bathroom
28 Mar 2016 at 10:46hrs | Views
AN elderly female patient admitted to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself on a burglar bar using a doek under unclear circumstances.
The incident occurred on Saturday shortly after 1PM in Casualty 1 Ward where the woman had been admitted for almost a week.
The patient, Gladys Khumalo, 68, of Silozwi village in Matobo district was suffering from tonsillitis.
A student nurse and Khumalo's niece who were searching for her during the visiting hour discovered her body in a bathroom within the ward.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango said: "I can confirm that we're investigating a case in which a woman who was admitted to Mpilo Central Hospital committed suicide on Saturday under unclear circumstances."
Khumalo's son, Mathew Dube said his mother had been transferred from the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) to Mpilo.
Dube was at a loss for words regarding what could have driven her mother to take her own life.
"I'm confused. I don't even know what could have prompted my mother to kill herself. She had a problem of tonsils and nothing else when we took her to Masiye Clinic in Matobo. She was then referred to UBH where she was later transferred to Mpilo Central Hospital," Dube said.
He said they were shocked to find her bed empty during the visiting hour.
"When we got to her ward in the afternoon she wasn't there and we initially thought she had gone to the toilet. On realising that she was taking long, we became suspicious and notified nurses who launched a search with the assistance of my niece. They found her body hanging from a burglar bar in the bathroom and there was towel shoved inside her mouth," said Dube.
Her T-shirt written "sengihambile" (I have gone) in ink was also found at the scene of the incident.
Nkosana Ncube, a relative accused nurses of negligence.
He also claimed that prior to her death, Khumalo confided in him that she was being harassed by nurses for demanding to be discharged.
"Just a day before she died my grandmother told me that nurses were harassing her for asking to be discharged and I suspect that could have prompted her to commit suicide. We had plans to take her to either a private hospital or church (for prayers)," said Ncube.
When a Chronicle news crew visited Dube's house in Emganwini suburb yesterday, he said the family was waiting for post-mortem results before burial in Matobo.
Efforts to get a comment from Mpilo Central Hospital clinical director Solwayo Ngwenya were futile as his phone was unreachable last night.
The incident occurred on Saturday shortly after 1PM in Casualty 1 Ward where the woman had been admitted for almost a week.
The patient, Gladys Khumalo, 68, of Silozwi village in Matobo district was suffering from tonsillitis.
A student nurse and Khumalo's niece who were searching for her during the visiting hour discovered her body in a bathroom within the ward.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango said: "I can confirm that we're investigating a case in which a woman who was admitted to Mpilo Central Hospital committed suicide on Saturday under unclear circumstances."
Khumalo's son, Mathew Dube said his mother had been transferred from the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) to Mpilo.
Dube was at a loss for words regarding what could have driven her mother to take her own life.
"I'm confused. I don't even know what could have prompted my mother to kill herself. She had a problem of tonsils and nothing else when we took her to Masiye Clinic in Matobo. She was then referred to UBH where she was later transferred to Mpilo Central Hospital," Dube said.
He said they were shocked to find her bed empty during the visiting hour.
"When we got to her ward in the afternoon she wasn't there and we initially thought she had gone to the toilet. On realising that she was taking long, we became suspicious and notified nurses who launched a search with the assistance of my niece. They found her body hanging from a burglar bar in the bathroom and there was towel shoved inside her mouth," said Dube.
Her T-shirt written "sengihambile" (I have gone) in ink was also found at the scene of the incident.
Nkosana Ncube, a relative accused nurses of negligence.
He also claimed that prior to her death, Khumalo confided in him that she was being harassed by nurses for demanding to be discharged.
"Just a day before she died my grandmother told me that nurses were harassing her for asking to be discharged and I suspect that could have prompted her to commit suicide. We had plans to take her to either a private hospital or church (for prayers)," said Ncube.
When a Chronicle news crew visited Dube's house in Emganwini suburb yesterday, he said the family was waiting for post-mortem results before burial in Matobo.
Efforts to get a comment from Mpilo Central Hospital clinical director Solwayo Ngwenya were futile as his phone was unreachable last night.
Source - chronicle
