Murder, suicide attempts worry Serowe police
Koketso Kgoboge | Wednesday July 15, 2020 12:44
On July 8, the police received a murder incident report where a 38-year-old man allegedly killed his 42-year-old partner at Mogadingwana ward in Motshegaletau. The suspect then attempted to commit suicide by poisoning himself after killing the woman.
Station commander Poloko Oteng said a 30-year-old man of the same ward had visited the woman and reported the incident. The visitor found that there were signs of some thing being dragged along with a blood trail leading to the storeroom.
When he opened the door he found the lifeless body of the woman. She was taken to the village clinic and was immediately referred to Sekgoma Memorial Hospital where she was confirmed dead upon arrival.
Police investigations led to the suspect who was found gravely ill and weak at his house after consuming a toxic cattle dip. The police took him to Sekgoma Memorial Hospital where he was admitted.
The suspect was considered a hazard to himself and is under police watch. Upon recovery, he would face charges of murder for allegedly killing the woman and common nuisance for attempting to take his own life.
“We suspect he was attempting to commit suicide with the cattle dip. He is under our watch, and soon as he recovers, we will engage him to assist us with the investigation,” the police superintendent said.
In another suspected suicide incident a day after the murder incident, a 71-year-old mother in Mangwedi lands reported to the police that her 33-year-old daughter was critical after, coincidentally, drinking cattle dip.
The woman recovered and was released from Sekgoma on Monday, where she had been admitted since last week. She has been put under a psychological evaluation programme and is getting assistance from the social welfare office.
Oteng said the woman would at a later stage be brought to assist with an investigation and might face a common nuisance charge.
On July 10, another mother of Senapa ward discovered her 35-year-old daughter in a bad state after she had overdosed on her medication. The motive for her undertaking is still unknown. She was also been released from Sekgoma Hospital on Monday.
In Konyana ward, a 35-year-old man’s suicide attempt was botched after he penned four letters; one to his girlfriend, one each to his two children and another to his sister.
His 30-year-old girlfriend left him at the house in the morning for work. Upon return later in the evening she found him very sick and found the letters.
She reported the matter to the police, and he was rushed to Sekgoma Hospital where he is still admitted. It was discovered he had overdosed on his medication mixed with poisonous ‘Blue Death’, which is not meant for human consumption.
“In the letters, he just wrote that he had decided to take his life without giving reasons as to why,” Oteng said.
He added that it was a serious concern to have incidents of people killing others and attempt to kill themselves in such a short space of time.
“It is apparent that people still can't handle difficult life situations, but the important thing is to ask for help. It calls for different stakeholders that deal with community service to mobilise and help the community.”