Man hangs self in neighbours yard

By Leonard Ncube

A Victoria Falls man allegedly committed suicide by hanging from a tree in a neighbour’s yard following a dispute with an unnamed girlfriend he was cohabiting with.

Roderick Mpofu, believed to be in his 30s, used a piece of wire to hang himself on Saturday in a neighbour’s yard.

There was no relationship between Mpofu, who was originally from Old Pumula in Bulawayo and the occupants of the house where he hanged himself.

A neighbour, Mrs Sibusisiwe Tshuma, said some children who were playing discovered Mpofu hanging from an Umnyiyi tree in the yard.

“This happened just before sunset and we are still shocked as neighbours. We were informed by some kids who said they saw him standing but swinging under the tree.

“I went to check and discovered that he was actually hanging from the Umnyiyi tree. That’s when I rushed to alert some neighbours and one of them tried to lift him up but it was too late as he was already dead,” said Mrs Tshuma.

She said she knew Mpofu as a jovial person.

“He was like a son to me because I even know his family in Bulawayo. We heard that he fought with a girlfriend and I still ask myself why he didn’t come to me as his mother because he usually came here and we would talk,” added Mrs Tshuma.

Another neighbour said Mpofu was seen sitting on a bucket under the Umnyiyi tree while writing something on the ground.

“We saw him sitting on a bucket in a neighbour’s yard while writing something on the ground but didn’t suspect he was planning anything of that sort. When we got to the scene we saw messages on the ground to his mother and grandmother,” said the neighbour.

The messages read: “Sorry mama”, “sorry gogo.”

Mpofu allegedly cut a piece of wire from the neighbour’s washing line and used it to hang himself.

The girlfriend, whose details could not established yesterday, reportedly rushed to the police to make a report.

The two had been cohabiting.

Some neighbours said of late Mpofu had been acting strangely and would tell anyone who cared to listen that he would kill himself one day.

Victoria Falls Ward 6 Councillor Ephias Mambume said Mpofu was the organising secretary for the MDC Alliance in the ward.

“This has left us speechless because we don’t understand why such a fine person would decide to kill himself in that manner.

“We are trying to get hold of his family in Bulawayo so we see how we can help each other,” he said.

Matabeleland North police spokesperson Chief Inspector Siphiwe Makonese could not be reached for comment. The Chronicle