Shelly Guni, H-Metro Reporter
A 59-year-old man’s body was found hanging in a deserted cottage next to his lover’s house in Chitungwiza yesterday.
Amon Kasekera, who was a builder by profession is suspect to have hanged himself using a wire in a cottage just opposite his girlfriend Veronica Chiza’s, 36, house in Unit O Chitungwiza.
When H-Metro visited the scene, the body of Kasekere was still hanging in the cottage.
However, the incident shocked many residents who are suspecting foul play.
Some residents went to the extent of baying for Chiza’s blood arguing that she was privy to what had transpired.
Veronica Chiza
“Atomboda kutiza mukadzi uyu. Anga achitizei? Ngaatiudze zvaaita sekuru ava. She knows the truth,” another resident fumed, while another one who said they had chased her said, “Tamubatira kubridge uko ava kuda kutotiza, now they have locked her inside. She must say the truth because someone out there is hoping that his or her relative is at work while he is here hanging.”
However, Chiza dismissed all the allegations of having a hand in the death.
Amon Kasekera’s body at the scene
“This man is my boyfriend but his house is in Zengeza. To my knowledge he was having some issues with his wife and at one point he told me that he was not in good books with his wife because he has another child out of wedlock. That is when I told him that he shouldn’t leave his house because of that,” she said.
Asked if she might have had any misunderstanding with the late Kasekera, she said:
“Yesterday this man called me to come to his place saying he wanted to give me some money.
“To my surprise, when I got there he started to beat me using an iron rod. He was targeting my head. When he was beating me up, I screamed to the extent that people from around came to the house to see what was happening.
“After I managed to escape, I came here and told my friends who were here that I wanted to make a police report and they advised me against it. Vakatonditi pamwe imhepo dai ndasiyana nazvo,” she said.
Chiza said in the morning (Monday) she got the shock of her life after another co-tenant called her to say there was a person hanging in that cottage.
“Then this morning, my co-tenant woke me up around 6am saying there was someone hanging in the room, that’s when we woke up to notice it was this man.”
Amon Kasekera’s body at the scene
Chiza kept on referring to the late Kasekera as “murume uyu” (this man) through the interview despite having allegedly been in the adulterous affair for a year.
“To say I heard any suspicious sound last night I would be lying. After I came back from his house, I never left the house since then.
“From what I saw, this man (Kasekera) hanged himself, because I never heard any noise.
“Recently he came to my workplace where i sell offals at a local shopping centre and he started to attack me only because I had told him to go back to his wife.
“When he was attacking me with an iron bar, he said I should say the truth because he was suspecting that I was seeing another man. And I told him that it was only him.”
ANOTHER VERSION
H-Metro visited the late Kasekera’ house where the first violence incident is reported to have occurred.
Kasekera is believed to have rented a house in Unit O where he was working as a builder while his family was staying in Zengeza 4.
An eyewitness who spoke to H-Metro expressed dismay as he narrated his odeal.
“I was sitting here at my shop yesterday around 5pm when I heard some noise of a woman crying. I rushed to see what was happening and I saw mdara akabata simbi achitoda kurova mukadzi. Ndakabva ndaibata simbi yacho. And the wife left.
“But when she was leaving she shouted saying, Ndizvo zvawandidaidzira kuno uku here manje uchizviona.
“After about 20 minutes, mdara locked his house and told me that he was going to Zengeza. That was the last time i saw him.
“So when I heard about the issue this morning I had to go and see for myself. What I saw, ndatya nazvo. Moyo wangu uri kundirambira kuti munhu azvisungirira. Asi hatingazivewo sekuti munhu atofa,” said the shopkeeper only identified as Tafadzwa.
The late Kasekera’ landlady also concurred with Tafadzwa.
“My kids called me yesterday saying there was a lady crying at sekuru’s house. So I rushed to see what was happening. Patakasvika takanzwa achiti ungandidedzere kuuya kuzondirova kuno, then the next thing she left.
“But when she was leaving she shouted to sekuru sayin ‘Wandirova ucham*m*’ akadaidzira katatu ndokubva aenda.
“We then later saw sekuru vavakubudawo tikatoti pamwe varikunokumbira ruregerero because he used the other side while the lady had gone with the other route zvekuti kusangana vaigona kutosangana pamberi apo,” she said.
Other residents said they have been robbed of their builder.
“Sekuru has been our reliable builder. Most of the houses you see here, it is his work.”
The owner of the house where Kasekera is believed to have hanged himself in was shocked and trying to get answers from Chiza.
“My sister, I think imba iyi ine mhepo. Recently some land barons were trying to sell the stand. Munhu aigara mukamba ikaka akangobuda haana kuoneka. Haa zvakawoma. Ndavakutofunga hangu kuitengesa ini nekuti mhepo yacho yasimudzwa apa yakakurisa.”
POLICE
Police spokesperson for Harare province, Assistant Inspector Webster Dzvova confirmed the development but could not immediately reveal the circumstances leading to the death saying “investigations are underway.”
“I can confirm the death of a 59 year old man from Kakora Village under chief Seke.
“His body was found hanging on a bream in a dilapidated house in Seke Unit O. The body has been taken to Chitungwiza Hospital for post mortem but in the meantime investigations are underway,” he said.
Assistant Inspector Dzvova added that a note was found in the deceased pockets which reads:
“Nhasi waibopa nekumuswe, wozivisa hama dzangu tiritose mumupaka nemukukohwa, Mamoyo special”
Assistant Inspector Dzova went on to urge the public to seek counselling from elders in their communities or visit their nearest police stations for help rather than ending their own lives.
– HMETRO
