Soldier blows off own head with AK-47

By Pamela Shumba

A Bulawayo-based soldier blew up his head with an AK-47 rifle while on duty on Saturday night in a suspected case of suicide following alleged problems at home.

Corporal Blessing Munetsi, 31, reportedly told his friends that he was having serious problems with his wife. A colleague later found him dead at Imbizo Barracks.

Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango said: “We received a report of a Bulawayo man who committed suicide. Investigations are in progress.”

When The Chronicle news crew visited Munetsi’s rented home in Nkulumane yesterday, some soldiers barred reporters from speaking to the family.

Family members said they could only speak when Munetsi’s bosses give them the greenlight to do so.

Efforts to get a comment from army spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Alphias Makotore were fruitless.

Sources within the army said Munetsi was guarding the armoury when he decided to take his life at about 7:20PM on Saturday.

“Munetsi went to the toilet behind the armoury and used his AK-47 rifle to shoot himself. He shot himself through the chin and the bullet blew up his head, killing him instantly.

“A colleague rushed to the scene and found Munetsi’s body in a pool of blood. He alerted senior soldiers at the army base and a report was made to Queens Park police station. His body was taken to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) mortuary,” said one of his colleagues.

He said Munetsi, who was earlier seen drinking with friends at the Highlanders FC clubhouse told his friends that he was frustrated by his wife’s unbecoming behaviour.

“Munetsi said his wife was in the habit of going out at night and coming back in the morning. He said he had tried on several occasions to talk to the wife but she wouldn’t listen to him,” said the friend.

Munetsi, added the friend, said he was tired of arguing with his wife all the time.

Last month, a Bulawayo police officer’s alleged lover died at Mpilo Central Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit after shooting herself with the cop’s service pistol following a domestic tiff.

Marble Chiture, 32, was rushed unconscious to the referral hospital following the incident that is said to have happened at Superintendent Crissen Masuka’s home.

Chiture shot herself in an attempted suicide following an undisclosed marital dispute and later died in hospital. The Chronicle