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Crime Reporter

DURING the past few months, murder and suicide cases emanating from disputes linked to infidelity have been on the fast increase countrywide, development that calls for counselling of couples and peaceful conflict resolution means.

Police are on record urging people to engage third parties, elders, counsellors and their officers, to help resolve their differences.

Despite these calls, most people have not been taking heed resulting with an increase in such cases.

Recent World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics show that suicide cases are now scaring globally.

Suicide is defined as the act of killing one’s self intentionally.

Suicide is often a result of depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorders, multiple personality disorder and a whole lot of other mental illnesses.

When depressed, one feels they have nothing to offer or that they would not be missed if they were no longer alive.

This is a sign of severe depression.

Clinical psychologists however, said it is difficult for people who survive suicides to open up.

In many instances, people with foiled suicide attempts begin to open up on why they wanted to commit sign, it’s a sign they are on the road to recovery against the severe mental illnesses.

Suicides are often attributed to marital or relationship problems while to some students, academic pressures can be factored in.

On Friday morning, a 59-year-old man committed suicide after he shot himself once on the head with a gun at his house in Gunhill.

The man has been identified as George Nigel Rennie.

According to reports, Rennie shot himself in his bedroom while his wife Mitchelle Kim Rennie (58) was in the kitchen on the ground floor.

The incident occurred between 7.15am and 8.30am while the couple was preparing to go somewhere.

Harare provincial police spokesperson Inspector Luckson Chakanza confirmed the incident and said investigations were still in progress.

“We are investigating a case in which a 59-year-old man, George Nigel Rennie shot himself in the head with a gun inside his bedroom,” he said.

They are unconfirmed reports that Rennie had been suffering from depression.

Recently, a Harare Ximex Mall dealer, Tafadzwa Murengwa alias Boss Pangolin who recently shot and killed his girlfriend along Simon Mazorodze Road after accusing her of cheating him with a married man committed suicide.

Murengwa was found in his car at a house in Shawasha Hills where he had sought refuge before taken to Parirenyatwa Hospital where he died upon admission after drinking an unknown poisonous substance.

On Wednesday, a Harare bouncer allegedly committed suicide at a local hotel, along Samora Machel Avenue following claims that he was having marital problems with his wife.

Takudzwa Mutaguta (22) is believed to have downed cyanide to end his life.

He reportedly sent his father, Prince Mutaguta, a suicidal WhatsApp message. He was booked in Room 108, on the first floor of a hotel located corner Samora Machel Avenue and Rotten Row Road.

A container, with cyanide poison and crystals mixed with an unknown liquid, was recovered. Mutaguta’s father confirmed receiving a suicidal WhatsApp message on August 1 at 7.23pm.

In 2019, there was a 42 percent increase in suicides in the first quarter of that year compared to the same period in 2018.

A total of 129 suicide cases were recorded between January and March in as compared to 91 cases reported during the same period in 2018.

Meanwhile, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said police in West Nicholson are investigating a case of murder which occurred on Tuesday at around 1pm at Base One illegal gold panning site along Umzingwane River.

“The Victim, Okay Shoko aged 44 died after he was attacked with stones and a spear by Disire Sibanda aged 22 and two other unidentified suspects.

“The suspects accused the victim of having beaten them sometime in 2021,” he said.

In Bikita, police discovered a body of a suspected mentally challenged patient, Alice Chakabarwa (34) in cave at Chaitwa Village on Tuesday.

The body was found with a devoured right leg and a dislodged right eye.

In Rimuka, police are investigating circumstances surrounding the discovery of a human foetus in an advanced stage of decomposition at a sewerage site along Zengwe Street, Kadoma on Tuesday again.

Last Sunday, police in Kadoma arrested Shadreck Mapiriyawo (38) and his wife, Auxcillian Tshuma (33), in connection with a case of murder which occurred had occurred on July 20, 2022 when the couple burnt the head of their two-year-old daughter to conceal the murder case after mistakenly hitting the victim with an unknown hard object on the head during a fist fight.

Asst Comm Nyathi said police in Epworth is investigating a case of murder in which Wirimai Bvunzanyika (40) died last Saturday after he was attacked by unknown assailants on July 28 along a footpath near Muguta Shops.

“Police in Mphoengs are also investigating a case of murder which occurred on July 31, 2022 at Gossan Mine. The victim, Khaliphile Ndlovu aged 37 died after he was hit with stones on the head by his brother Coster Ndlovu aged 23 as well as his friend Jonathan Moyo aged 24 following an argument over sharing of gold proceeds,” he said.

In a related case, Isaac Chikoti is wanted by Police in Marondera in connection with a case of murder which occurred last Saturday at Mafuro Farm, Igava where the suspect struck his wife, Emily Nyasha Mulakala (28) with a hoe after accusing her of infidelity. Police have also arrested Nomore Makwinja (51) and Diana Makwinja (62) in Budiriro suburb, Harare in connection of murdering Diana Makwinja (16).

The father and aunt severely assaulted the minor while trying to discipline her for drug abuse activities and immoral behaviour.

Police in Harare are investigating a case of murder in which the body of an unidentified male adult was found with cuts on the back and legs along a footpath at a dumpsite near a church in Unit A Extension, Seke Chitungwiza.

Gutu Police is investigating another murder case in which Simbarashe Kufakunesu (51) died on July 30, 2022 after he was struck with a brick on the head and chest by his wife, Mirika Joni (50) at Mawarire Village. The victim had chased away beer patrons at the homestead where the couple was operating a shebeen and this did not go well with the suspect.