A 71-year-old Rusape woman took her life by hanging on a water well winch before throwing herself in the deep waters allegedly because her children had abandoned her.
The body of Rhoda Kajawu of Gandanzara village in Rusape was found in the well last Wednesday by a fellow villager before the body was retrieved by police.
Police in Manicaland confirmed the incident and said people should seek counselling before overreacting as a result of family disputes. Kajawu was staying alone and had been terminally ill.
“Kajawu had been missing since May 10, but before that she told one of her relatives that she was going to commit suicide because her children had stopped taking care of her,” said Manicaland deputy police spokesperson Sergeant Muzondiwa Clean.
“On May 30, one villager was herding cattle near Majawu’s homestead when she discovered a swarm of flies hovering around the village’s water well. There was also a strong bad odour around the well so she went and advised other villagers that there was a terrible smell coming from the well.”
