BY WANDILE TSHUMA
Tragedy struck in Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park on Saturday, when a 36-year-old businessman John Madzikatire took his own life by shooting himself.
According to a police statement, the incident occurred around 9:30 pm on an unnamed dust road, where a motorist stumbled upon Madzikatire’s lifeless body lying next to his Mercedes Benz vehicle.
The vehicle was still idling with its lights on and the driver’s door wide open.
Madzikatire was found in a pool of blood, bleeding from a gunshot wound to the head, with no signs of life.
A pistol was discovered under his right knee, and it’s suspected that he shot himself in the head from the left side, with the bullet exiting from the right side.
A search of the vehicle revealed an army green bag containing a substantial amount of cash: $5,122 USD, 20,719 South African Rand, and $24 Zimbabwean dollars. The body was taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals for a post-mortem examination.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police is investigating the incident and encourages the public to seek help when facing challenges. “We urge people to engage with others and seek counseling from community leaders and professional counselors rather than resorting to taking their own lives,” said Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, Press and Public Relations Officer for Bulawayo Province.