Man commits suicide over wife's infidelity with Deputy Mayor

A soldier in Gweru, who for long suspected his wife of having an extra-marital affair with Gweru City Deputy Mayor Councillor Taurai Demo, committed suicide by taking a pesticide inside the council chambers at Town House.

The soldier has been identified as Major Chitsiko (46), a Warrant Officer Class Two based at Zimbabwe Military Academy (ZMA).

He was said to have recently separated with the wife, Nosizo, over her alleged affair with Clr Demo.

Mrs Chitsiko is employed at the Gweru City Council as a secretary to the chamber secretary.

Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Patrick Chademana confirmed the incident, which occurred on Tuesday at about 5pm but referred this reporter to ZMA public relations offices.

Sources close to the incident said on the fateful day, Chitsiko who was in his full military combat, stormed the Town House armed with a machete and demanded to see his wife and the deputy mayor.

"Mrs Chitsiko had just separated with her husband after he assaulted her over the alleged extra-marital affair with the deputy mayor. The husband then stormed council offices on Tuesday after 5pm armed with a machete in search of his estranged wife and the deputy mayor," said the source.

The source said the few council staffers who were at Town House then told Chitsiko that a majority of council employees, including his estranged wife, had just knocked off.

"He then started to shout at everyone while indicating that he intended to use the machete to chop off his wife's hands and feet. He also hinted that he intended to commit suicide after attacking the wife and deputy mayor whom he was accusing of having ruined his life," said the source.

The sources said Chitsiko later went into the council chambers where he then drank some pesticide from a bottle that he drew out of the pockets of his uniform.

"The few staffers at the Town House who included the acting director of health services, Mr Christopher Ruwodo, quickly called the police and an ambulance after watching helplessly Chitsiko screaming with pain following his drinking the pesticide," said the source.

The sources said Chitsiko was rushed to Gweru Provincial Hospital following the incident.

Clr Demo who said he only learnt of the suicide incident at Town House on Wednesday refuted allegations that he was at the centre of the controversy leading to the suicide.

"I am very surprised that people want to drag my name into the mud. I only learnt of the suicide incident yesterday and I am shocked by the unfounded allegations that I was having an affair with a council secretary. I don't even know her name. I believe this is politics and there are some people who are out to tarnish my name but only God knows that I am clean," he said.

ZMA public relations officer Warrant Officer Onias Maphisa confirmed the death of Chitsiko.

"I can confirm that our colleague, Warrant Officer Chitsiko, died after he took some pesticide at Town House but we are not aware of the reason behind his committing suicide. You can, however, get further clarification from Zimbabwe Defence Forces headquarters in Harare because he was only accommodated here at the ZMA on recommendation from the ZDF. He was a member of the ZDF in Harare," he said.

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