News / National
Man commits suicide following economic hardship, family neglect
2 hrs ago | Views
A 54-year-old man from Old Magwegwe, Zebron Phiri, committed suicide a day after telling a neighbour he intended to end his life due to poverty and neglect by his children.
Phiri was discovered on Sunday morning with a rope around his neck, part of it still tied to a roof truss. Police said that on 16 August, he confided in a 78-year-old neighbour about his struggles with economic hardship and family neglect. He reportedly told her he would hang himself and leave his doors and windows open to ensure his body would be found.
The following morning, the neighbour noticed Phiri's house was open but unusually quiet. Failing to get a response after calling his name, she sought help from another resident. They found Phiri's lifeless body lying on the floor, with the rope still around his neck.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele urged the public to take suicide threats seriously. "We encourage members of the public to treat conversations about suicide and suicide tendencies with urgency and seek professional help for the concerned parties," she said.
Zimbabwe has seen a rise in suicide cases in recent years, with experts linking the trend to worsening economic conditions, unemployment, family neglect, and limited access to mental health services.
In March, a 21-year-old man from Cowdray Park died after ingesting rat poison following a reprimand from his mother. In another case, a Bulawayo businessman and butchery owner was found dead from a gunshot wound in an apparent suicide.
Phiri was discovered on Sunday morning with a rope around his neck, part of it still tied to a roof truss. Police said that on 16 August, he confided in a 78-year-old neighbour about his struggles with economic hardship and family neglect. He reportedly told her he would hang himself and leave his doors and windows open to ensure his body would be found.
The following morning, the neighbour noticed Phiri's house was open but unusually quiet. Failing to get a response after calling his name, she sought help from another resident. They found Phiri's lifeless body lying on the floor, with the rope still around his neck.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele urged the public to take suicide threats seriously. "We encourage members of the public to treat conversations about suicide and suicide tendencies with urgency and seek professional help for the concerned parties," she said.
Zimbabwe has seen a rise in suicide cases in recent years, with experts linking the trend to worsening economic conditions, unemployment, family neglect, and limited access to mental health services.
In March, a 21-year-old man from Cowdray Park died after ingesting rat poison following a reprimand from his mother. In another case, a Bulawayo businessman and butchery owner was found dead from a gunshot wound in an apparent suicide.
Source - zimlive
