Zambia: A 41-year-old man from Mayobo Village in Namwala District has allegedly committed suicide on January 10. The incident took place in the early hours of the day on Wednesday.
The witnesses of the incident claimed that the deceased took the step after he was beaten by his wife following a quarrel. The people of the region have claimed that the victim was of mild disposition and sensitive.
Narrating the ordeal, Milisi Village Senior Headman, Josias Chinzuma, has identified the deceased as Agule Sikachinga.
Chinzuma explains that on 9th January, 2024, around 20:00 hours, the couple were arguing over their Shop keys. The argument eventually escalated into a fight, leading to the wife beating her husband.
He says around 04:00 hours the next day, the deceased is alleged to have ingested a Cotton Pesticide labelled “Spear”. The victim was taken to Mobola Clinic for initial treatment. He was later referred to Macha Mission Hospital where he died.
The remains of the deceased are deposited at Macha Mission Hospital.
Police are yet to confirm the incident and comment on the situation. The investigation of the incident has not started yet. Meanwhile, the people of the deceased’s community have extended their condolences to the family.
The circumstances leading up to the final act of the deceased are unclear in the absence of police intervention and investigation. The family or loved ones of the deceased have also not offered any comments on the development.
Sharing their condolences, the people of the country took to their social media accounts. They called the incident a sad development. Meanwhile, some social media users were also confused by the series of events and questioned how the fight escalated so far.
Suicide after a disagreement or argument can point towards a troubled conscience of weak mental health. As one of the most overlooked aspects of health, mental health is yet to receive the proper attention and dedicated treatment plans in many areas of the world.