News / National
Zimbabwe man kills self after losing $500 bet on Manchester City
7 hrs ago | Views
While millions around the world celebrated the excitement of the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup in America, a quiet tragedy unfolded in Kuwadzana, Harare, as Taurai Manyepo (34), a passionate football bettor, ended his life after a devastating loss.
Manyepo had borrowed US$500 and wagered the entire amount on Manchester City, the defending champions, to win their match against Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal. Against all odds, Manchester City lost 3-4 in a thrilling extra-time defeat at the last-16 stage, shattering Manyepo's hopes and leaving him unable to repay the borrowed money.
Unable to cope with the loss and the mounting financial pressure, Manyepo was found hanging from a tree, having taken his own life. Sources revealed that the money he staked was borrowed from a friend, Lloyd Pikiri, who had lent him the funds to cover his mother's hospital bills.
"I am still in shock, I feel like I killed a friend," Pikiri told NewsDay Weekender, recounting how Manyepo came to him pleading for help to pay for his mother's CT scan at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. "He promised to repay me by the end of July."
The shocking news came just days later. "I rushed to his place when I heard the news of his death. He committed suicide three days after losing the bet," Pikiri said.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi explained that police investigations usually follow such cases if families do not report them immediately. Suicide remains a sensitive and often underreported issue in Zimbabwe.
According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, suicide accounts for approximately 1.8% of all deaths nationally. Experts warn that gambling addiction, especially in vulnerable communities, is a growing concern.
This is not an isolated case. In 2019, a man from Chinhoyi reportedly took his own life after losing US$600 gambling. Just this year, a Harare man collapsed after losing US$724 betting on Aviator games, and a Chitungwiza shift manager admitted stealing over US$3,400 from his employer to fund gambling.
Psychologist Kudakwashe Mchena highlighted gambling addiction as a serious mental health issue that requires therapy and support. "Gambling addiction is like any other addiction and can be managed psychologically, but without support, it can lead to fatalities like suicide," he said.
Veteran talk show host Mai Chisamba condemned the tragic loss, calling it a selfish decision fueled by gambling's false promises. "Betting has no formula- people win or lose. If gamblers understood this, we would not be burying so many youths over money," she said.
The World Health Organization reports that men have higher suicide rates than women globally. In Zimbabwe, the suicide mortality rate was recorded at 17.34 per 100,000 people in 2021, but experts believe many cases go undocumented.
As the FIFA Club World Cup captures hearts worldwide, Taurai Manyepo's story stands as a stark reminder of the hidden human cost behind the allure of gambling. For the Manyepo family and the Kuwadzana community, no football victory can ever erase their sorrow.
*Not real name
Manyepo had borrowed US$500 and wagered the entire amount on Manchester City, the defending champions, to win their match against Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal. Against all odds, Manchester City lost 3-4 in a thrilling extra-time defeat at the last-16 stage, shattering Manyepo's hopes and leaving him unable to repay the borrowed money.
Unable to cope with the loss and the mounting financial pressure, Manyepo was found hanging from a tree, having taken his own life. Sources revealed that the money he staked was borrowed from a friend, Lloyd Pikiri, who had lent him the funds to cover his mother's hospital bills.
"I am still in shock, I feel like I killed a friend," Pikiri told NewsDay Weekender, recounting how Manyepo came to him pleading for help to pay for his mother's CT scan at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. "He promised to repay me by the end of July."
The shocking news came just days later. "I rushed to his place when I heard the news of his death. He committed suicide three days after losing the bet," Pikiri said.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi explained that police investigations usually follow such cases if families do not report them immediately. Suicide remains a sensitive and often underreported issue in Zimbabwe.
According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, suicide accounts for approximately 1.8% of all deaths nationally. Experts warn that gambling addiction, especially in vulnerable communities, is a growing concern.
This is not an isolated case. In 2019, a man from Chinhoyi reportedly took his own life after losing US$600 gambling. Just this year, a Harare man collapsed after losing US$724 betting on Aviator games, and a Chitungwiza shift manager admitted stealing over US$3,400 from his employer to fund gambling.
Psychologist Kudakwashe Mchena highlighted gambling addiction as a serious mental health issue that requires therapy and support. "Gambling addiction is like any other addiction and can be managed psychologically, but without support, it can lead to fatalities like suicide," he said.
Veteran talk show host Mai Chisamba condemned the tragic loss, calling it a selfish decision fueled by gambling's false promises. "Betting has no formula- people win or lose. If gamblers understood this, we would not be burying so many youths over money," she said.
The World Health Organization reports that men have higher suicide rates than women globally. In Zimbabwe, the suicide mortality rate was recorded at 17.34 per 100,000 people in 2021, but experts believe many cases go undocumented.
As the FIFA Club World Cup captures hearts worldwide, Taurai Manyepo's story stands as a stark reminder of the hidden human cost behind the allure of gambling. For the Manyepo family and the Kuwadzana community, no football victory can ever erase their sorrow.
*Not real name
Source - The Herald
