A ZVISHAVANE taxi driver allegedly committed suicide by
consuming a pesticide at the house of a municipal police officer who had
clamped his taxi in the town’s Central Business District.
Frustrated by the council cop’s move to clamp his taxi,
Tasaranago Chinyoka (41) reportedly bought Dimethate pesticide and proceeded to
the municipal police supervisor’s house where he consumed the poison in
protest.
Police confirmed the incident which occurred in
Zvishavane’s Maglas suburb on Monday evening. Acting police spokesperson for
Midlands, Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende, said Chinyoka was pronounced dead
on admission at Zvishavane District Hospital where he had been rushed to in an
ambulance.
“Police in Zvishavane are investigating a case of sudden
death in which one Tasaranago Vengai Chinyoka who accused a council official,
Mr Mufandaedza Mbizvo, of clamping his car and reporting him to the police was
said to have later visited Mr Mbizvo’s house.
“While at Mr Mbizvo’s house, Chinyoka, who was holding a
bottle of Dimethate 40 percent pesticide, threatened to kill himself,” said
Asst Insp Mukwende.
She said Chinyoka sprinkled the pesticide on food he had
found at Mr Mbizvo’s house and consumed it.
“Mr Mbizvo called an ambulance which took Chinyoka to the
hospital where he died on admission. Police attended the scene and found Mr
Mbizvo’s house still smelling of the pesticide. A post-mortem obtained was also
consistent with sudden death due to poisoning,” said the acting police
spokesperson.
She appealed to members of the public to always seek amicable
ways of resolving disputes.
“People must respect the sanctity of life and in cases of
disputes, they must always seek amicable ways of resolving them,” Asst Insp
Mukwende said.
According to a witness, Mr Marlon Mariba, who is also a
taxi driver, Chinyoka had initially resisted when municipal police tried to
clamp his taxi for illegal parking in the CBD.
“He took a clamp which one of the municipal officers wanted
to use and threw it away. The clamp was picked up by someone who was part of a
group that had gathered at the scene,” said Mr Mariba.
He said the municipal police officers who were being
supervised by Mr Mbizvo brought another clamp and locked Chinyoka’s taxi before
they went to the police station to report him for the missing clamp.
“The police charged Chinyoka for the missing clamp and I
think this was where the frustration came from. He decided to visit Mr Mbizvo’s
house where he committed suicide by consuming poison,” Mr Mariba said. Chronicle
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