adminMidlands Correspondent
GWERU mayor, Councillor Hamutendi Kombayi has hurled insults on his employee who allegedly committed suicide by leaping from a balcony at his three-storey hotel in Gweru’s Central Business District.In a post on his Facebook page, Clr Kombayi accused the now deceased Joseph Dominic Shoko-Gowo (32), of bringing his name into disrepute and making him a “laughing stock” by committing suicide at his hotel.
“Kule Shoko has been laid to rest, you made me a laughing stock. God knows, rest in peace (aluta continua) the sugglue (sic) continues. We in Gweru will live to take life as is. It’s my destiny, I will take as is, sezvazviri masango matema tipeivho mweche tezvi,” reads the post.
Gowo, who was employed at Clr Kombayi’s Lalapanzi Mine, jumped to his death from a balcony on the first floor of Midlands Hotel on Sunday, after attempts to commit suicide in his hotel room failed.
Gowo stormed into the 72-room Midlands Hotel, and threw himself on the tarmac from the balcony, allegedly in protest over an undisclosed outstanding pay.
He had his brains splashed on the tarmac after he broke his skull when he fell headlong. Gowo died on the spot and his body was taken to Gweru Provincial Hospital mortuary by police who attended the scene.
According to eye witnesses, Gowo, who was said to be suffering from an undisclosed ailment, went to Midlands Hotel and demanded to see Clr Kombayi over unpaid salary.
He was offered a room by the hotel management to rest while waiting for Clr Kombayi so that they would discuss his salary issue.
Gowo went to his hotel room where he removed his shirt before leaping from a balcony at the hotel’s first floor.
Business was temporarily brought to a halt in the city’s CBD when people thronged the scene to take a glimpse of the man. He was buried on Wednesday at his rural home.
Efforts to get a comment from Clr Kombayi were fruitless as his mobile phone went unanswered.
Online Reporter