Boy (8) ‘commits suicide’

Police confirmed the incident, which has left the Kamativi Compound community shell-shocked.
Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Siphiwe Makonese said the incident occurred on 3 April at Kamativi.
“We received a sudden death report involving an eight-year-old-boy of CB 116 Kamativi Compound. Information received is that the boy stole five dollars from her mother’s shop. He then proceeded to a neighbouring shop intending to buy soft drinks,” said Asst Insp Makonese.

She said at the neighbouring shop, the shop assistant asked the boy where he had got the money before calling his sister.
“The sister was called and it was realised that the boy had stolen the money from his mother’s shop. The sister was then given back the $5 and they went home,” said Asst Insp Makonese.

She said the boy then allegedly took an electric cord and hanged himself at House Number CB 87 in the same compound.
“His body was recovered by a neighbour who alerted his parents who then made a report at Kamativi Police Station,” said Asst Insp Makonese.
In an unrelated incident, a newly born baby boy died when he was shoved into a hole, which is one metre deep, in a bush area near Inyathi Police Station in Bubi District.

The police identified the boy’s mother as Zanele Mpofu of 11th Avenue Cooperative.
Asst Insp Makonese said Mpofu gave birth to a baby boy at Inyathi District Hospital on 27 March and was discharged on 29 March.

On her way home, she went into the bush and shoved the baby into the hole and covered it with a stone and proceeded home.
“On 4 April, Mpofu’s mother, Mrs Anna Moyo, noticed that her daughter was no longer pregnant and questioned her. Mpofu lied to her mother that she had had a miscarriage. Her mother was not satisfied with her response and took her to Inyathi Police Station where she reported the matter,” said Asst Insp Makonese.

Asst Insp Makonese said when being questioned, Mpofu revealed that she had placed the baby in a hole.
“The police attended the scene and recovered the body of the baby leading to Mpofu’s arrest,” she said.