Chronicle Editor
Bongani Ndlovu, Online Reporter
A PICTURE that was recently published alongside a story identifying the late Thabo Dube of Bulawayo’s Nkulumane suburb who allegedly committed suicide after he tried to burn his ex-lover’s home following a misunderstanding, was erroneously used.
It has come to Chronicle’s attention that the picture used for the story was in fact that of Mr Usuf Banda who lives in Mzilikazi and he is alive and well.
After some enquiries and feedback from readers, it has turned out that the picture supplied by family sources was of Mr Banda and not the late Dube.
However, it is not yet clear how Mr Banda’s picture came into the mix-up and how he was identified by the victim’s family sources as the ex-boyfriend.
Mr Banda admits knowing Dube as they once stayed together in Mzilikazi some years back.
Mr Banda visited Chronicle offices yesterday morning in the company of police officers to point out the error.
“There was a story that was published and my picture was used. The story said I was Thabo Dube and had committed suicide after I tried to burn my ex-lover’s home following a misunderstanding,” he said.
“I am here to clear my name and to say I am alive, I don’t know Thabo that well as he lives in Nkulumane and I live in Mzilikazi.”
He said people close to him now think he is a ‘ghost’.
“This has not settled well with me, because when I walk in the streets people say I am a ghost and believe that I am dead.
I reported this to the police and I have spoken to ‘Chronicle’ and they assured me that this will be rectified,” said Mr Banda.
“Please, don’t run away from me. I am alive. It was a mistake and mistakes happen. Even my wife was now thinking that I have girlfriends. This isn’t true, I am alive, I wasn’t involved in this case.”
Last week, Dube was found dead in a bushy area in Upper Rangemore and Bulawayo police spokesperson, Insp Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident.
“We confirm a case of sudden death by hanging of Thabo Dube aged 43.
Circumstances are that on the 10th of January 2023 Dube violated the terms of a protection order taken against him when he went to the complaint’s home and poured petrol in the spare bedroom before setting the house alight,” said Insp Ncube.
He said Dube then ran away and the occupants of the house managed to put out the fire.
Dube was found on the same day hanging from a tree in a bushy area in Upper Rangemore.
The brother to Dube’s ex-lover, Mr Ian Mahlasela, said the now-deceased had been harassing his sister (name withheld) for some time saying she cannot dump him.
He said Dube once stabbed his sister resulting in her being hospitalised and that is when they got the first protection order against him.
“I am not speaking ill against a dead person l hope his family will also give their side of the story but Dube had been problematic to an extent that he came here at home and broke all the windows and doors saying he wanted his girlfriend back,” said Mr Mahlasela.
“He was serving a community service sentence because of these things.”
Mr Mahlasela said as a family they feared for their sister’s security.
Contacted for comment at the time, Dube’s family said they were not in a good state to speak to the media as they were still grieving their son.
Online Reporter