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Freedom Mupanedemo Midlands Bureau
Relatives of a Zvishavane man who committed suicide after taking a pesticide at the house of a municipal police officer who had clamped his taxi in the town’s Central Business District, last week said they wanted to claim compensation from the local authority.

Tasaranago Chinyoka (41) reportedly bought dimetha pesticide and proceeded to the municipal police supervisor’s house where he consumed the poison in protest over the move by the municipal cops to clamp his taxi.

Chinyoka, who died on admission at Zvishavane District Hospital last week, has since been buried at his rural home in Mberengwa.

A relative who spoke on condition of anonymity said they were now consulting lawyers over their intention to sue Zvishavane Town Council.

“The family agreed to take the legal route after the local authority refused to render any assistance towards the funeral despite the fact that they are the ones to blame for the death of our relative,” said the relative.

“They (council officials) indicated that the matter was being handled by the police and as a family, we are still consulting if there are any reasonable grounds to sue the council given the circumstances.”

Zvishavane Town Council secretary Mr Tinoda Mukutu said the local authority was not liable for Chinyoka’s death.

He said the municipal police’s actions were within the limits of their duties.
“It is very unfortunate that someone lost his life, said Mr Mukutu. The information I got is that the matter was reported to the police after the deceased took away a council clamp while resisting to have his car clamped for wrong parking.

“He then went and took pesticide and unfortunately he passed away and I don’t think as council, we are to blame.”

Mr Mukutu said he was still to get full details of what actually transpired from their police supervisor.