Police officer hangs himself at Parirenyatwa Hospi...

Police officer hangs himself at Parirenyatwa Hospital

Zim Now Writer

A man who is believed to be a police officer hung himself at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare allegedly because his salary was too little to support his family.

Francis Patama, 34, was taken to the hospital by a team of officers from the Support Unit and relatives, including his wife, after jumping off a moving police vehicle, reportedly in an attempt to kill himself.

This comes just days after a deputy headmistress at Sarahuru Primary School in Mwenezi hung herself hours after going to Masvingo to collect her pay.

Police sources, however said Patama did not report for duty on time after being paid last week and when his bosses initiated disciplinary action against him, he allegedly assaulted one of them.

A source added: “He jumped off a moving police car on June 17 in an attempt to commit suicide.

“He was taken to Parirenyatwa’s psychiatric unit called Annex and admitted for what doctors said was major depressive disorder with psychosis.”

Patama is understood to have told doctors that he “feels like he is a failure because his salary can’t sustain the basic needs of his family”.

On the day that he died, Patama left Ward 12, where he was admitted, to take a bath.

“He took a cloth belt from one of the patients’ hospital gowns and hung himself in a wardrobe,” a hospital source said.

Parirenyatwa spokesman Linos Dire said: “The matter is under police investigation. We don’t want to jeopardise police investigations by commenting on the issue.”

National Police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, said he did not readily have details on the matter.