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Family charged for relative’s suicide

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A Chiweshe family was last week ordered to pay a beast and a sheep by Chief Negomo as a way to appease ancestral spirits in a bid “to avoid avenging spirits” after their relative, Tandirai Chinanga (44), committed suicide early this month. In passing sentence, while sitting at his traditional village court, Chief Negomo warned […]

A Chiweshe family was last week ordered to pay a beast and a sheep by Chief Negomo as a way to appease ancestral spirits in a bid “to avoid avenging spirits” after their relative, Tandirai Chinanga (44), committed suicide early this month.

In passing sentence, while sitting at his traditional village court, Chief Negomo warned villagers not to commit suicide, adding that the consequences of such actions would be drought.

“Such acts are a taboo to our culture and this man decided to spoil our land with his own blood. We will not tolerate such acts. Therefore, this fine should be an example not to Chiweshe people only, but to everyone in the country,” the chief said.

During the trial, Mukoko Village headman Obert Kondwerani was the complainant since Tandirai committed suicide in his village. The court heard that early this month, Tandirai approached Kondwerani and informed him that he had secured a job in Harare.

Kondwerani told the court that with excitement, Tandirai also notified almost everyone in the village about his impending relocation to Harare. But some few hours later, Kondwerani, whose home is a stone’s throw away from Tandirai’s homestead, heard people shouting at each other.

Later, Tandirai’s father approached Kondwerani informing him that his son had taken poison. Kondwerani and Chinanga’s relatives took Tandirai to Howard Mission Hospital where he died on admission. The reasons that prompted Tandirai to take his life were still unknown, but according to Chief Negomo, the matter was brought to his court in an effort to cleanse the area. Tandirai is survived by a wife and two children.