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by hanging himself when he was disqualified as a census enumerator after failing the prerequisite entrance test, police confirmed yesterday.
Would-be enumerators were required to write a test and score at least 75 percent before they could be accommodated in the national population counting programme.
The now deceased, Hlanai Shoko (56), reportedly fell short of qualifying during the entrance tests by a mark after he had reportedly scored 14 out of a possible 20.
“Shoko scored 14 out of 20 during the entrance test conducted at Msume High School in Mberengwa. Some of his colleagues including teachers from his school started laughing at him for failing the tests. They questioned his leadership qualities,” said a source.
The source said Shoko then quickly packed his belongings and went to his rural home which is close to his school where he reportedly committed suicide.
The source said Shoko left a suicide note.
“In the suicide note, Shoko blamed his ancestors, accusing them of letting him down by letting him fail the census entrance tests,” said the source.
A witness who declined to be named said what provoked the now deceased was the way his colleagues ridiculed him for failing the census “examinations”.
“The people who were present and ridiculed the now deceased for failing the tests must have felt highly guilty after receiving the sad news that Shoko had committed suicide by hanging. Everyone was laughing at him and this made him appear stupid since he was the only headmaster who failed the tests. This resulted in him abruptly leaving the venue where we were camped,” said the witness.
Acting police spokesperson for Midlands Province Assistant Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko confirmed the death of Shoko.
He said police also recovered a suicide note, which cited reasons to do with a census test.
“I can confirm a sudden death by hanging in which a Mberengwa school headmaster committed suicide and left a suicide note which had something to do with the census tests. The body was taken to Msume Mission Hospital for a post-mortem,” said Asst Insp Mahoko.
Online Reporter