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Flora Fadzai Sibanda, Chronicle Reporter
AN eleven-year-old girl from Mabutweni suburb, described by her father as a free spirit and a great cook who loved singing, was found hanging from a tree inside her family’s yard.
Police said she hanged herself following a misunderstanding with her mother while her father alleges that she was ‘living in hell’ and was being sexually abused.
Patience’s parents separated some years ago and she was living with her mother and would occasionally visit her father in Victoria Falls during school holidays.
She was a Grade 5 pupil at Mpumelelo Primary School in Mpopoma.
Bulawayo provincial police deputy spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele said the deceased had a misunderstanding with her mother early this week after she failed to deliver her food at Mabuthweni shops where she sells gas. Her mother out of anger beat her up using a cooking stick on her legs several times before leaving her alone at home as she went back to her gas station.
Asst Insp Msebele said her mother was alerted by her neighbours’ children that Patience had hanged herself. “The mother immediately went back home and tried to save her by removing her from the tree. She called the ambulance to come and assist her,” said Asst Insp Msebele.
Patience was pronounced dead by the ambulance crew.
In an interview, the deceased’s father Mr Mike Chishemu said he is heartbroken over the death of his daughter.
He said he does not understand the circumstances surrounding the death of his daughter because she was a free spirit and was always happy. “l still cannot believe that my daughter is gone. l don’t understand where an 11-year-old gets the idea of hanging herself or how she even knew that hanging is a way of killing herself,” lamented Mr Chishemu.
He said his daughter was a free spirit, a great cook and loved singing.
The heartbroken father said he last saw his daughter last year in December when she visited him during the holidays but they would occasionally communicate via video calls using her mother’s phone. “On Saturday she sent me a video of herself singing a gospel song. It saddens me to know that is the last song l will hear her singing. She was outspoken and loved cooking and telling me stories,” he said.
He was told about his daughter’s death on Sunday afternoon.
The heartbroken father said he has since been told that Patience hanged herself on a xakuxaku (snot apple/mutohwe) tree inside her mother’s yard.
“I refuse to believe what they tell me right now because it does not make sense. l recently found out that she was being raped. l am still to confirm with the police if it is true. If it is true then the mother will explain to me why l was not told about all this,” he said.
An emotional Mr Chishemu said they are waiting for post-mortem results so that they can determine what really happened to her.
Asst Insp Msebele said police are investigating the rape allegations. – @flora_sibanda
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