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Richard Muponde, Plumtree Correspondent
A 100-YEAR-OLD woman from Dombodema, Bulilima District, hanged herself last week after complaining that her homestead was haunted by evil spirits.

Gogo Hlezipi Moyo committed suicide while she was alone at her homestead and was later discovered by her granddaughter who had come to give her food.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele yesterday confirmed the incident.

“Yes I can confirm that we are investigating a sudden death by suicide of a 100-year-old woman from Dombodema Resettlement area in Plumtree. She hanged herself on February 9 in her bedroom hut and was discovered by her granddaughter who had come to give her food,” said Insp Ndebele.

A police source said on the day in question, the granny was at her homestead sitting in a shade and confided in her cousin, Mr Mandla Nkomo, that her homestead was haunted by evil spirits which needed cleansing.

“She asked Mandla to go and look for prophets to come and cleanse the evil spirits at the homestead. However, he told her that it was a family matter which required all family members to be present. She went on to tell him that she was disappointed by the departure of his wife from the homestead after she returned to her parents’ home when Mandla was away in South Africa,” said the source.

After the conversation, the source said, Mr Nkomo left the homestead leaving Gogo Moyo seated alone.

“During that time, she stood up, took her two walking sticks and got into her room. She them hanged herself after she used a stool to get on top of her table which was in her bedroom hut,” he said.

The source said Gogo Moyo’s body was discovered by her granddaughter who had gone to a relative’s homestead to prepare food for her.

“When the granddaughter returned, she realised that Gogo Moyo was not where she had left her. Upon checking her bedroom, she found uGogo’s lifeless body hanging.

“The granddaughter rushed to a relative’s homestead and advised her of the incident. The relative then informed the village head who then alerted the police. The police attended the scene before taking Gogo Moyo’s body to the mortuary,” said the source.

In Bulawayo, a 101-year-old woman committed suicide by throwing herself into a stream in Kingsdale suburb on Tuesday evening.

Gogo Sarah Phulu, who was born in 1917, threw herself into a tributary to Umguza River after complaining of loneliness following the death of all her sons.

Her body was found on Wednesday morning after a futile search conducted the previous night. — @richardmuponde