Suicide by drinking pesticide

A 30-year-old Beit Bridge man, Philemon Verera, allegedly killed himself by drinking pesticide at his in-laws' homestead, in protest over being denied conjugal rights by his estranged wife.

He allegedly collapsed and died after he gulped a bottle of pesticide, used in the cotton fields.

Local police spokesperson, Insp Tineyi Matake said Verera's body was taken to the local hospital mortuary for a post-mortem to be conducted.

It is alleged that Verera and his wife had a heated dispute at their matrimonial home in Beit Bridge last Wednesday.

Suicide cases are on the increase in the border town. Last month, a 31-year-old Beit Bridge man from Makhado village stabbed his wife and tried to kill his two-day-old baby, before committing suicide following a domestic dispute.

News - Date: 26 December 2011

Mashudu Netsianda

Mashudu Netsianda is our correspondent in Beit Bridge, Zimbabwe. He joined us in 2006, writing both local and international stories. He had worked for several Zimbabwean publications, as well as the Times of Swaziland. Mashudu received his training at the School of Mass Communication in Harare.

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