WHILE the ongoing Fifa Club World Cup in America has brought cheer and pulsating excitement to millions of fans across the globe, the sporting jamboree has brought sorrow to a household in the high-density suburb of Kuwadzana in Harare.
For Taurai Manyepo (34), an avid punter, he did not expect that a top English Premier League club, Manchester City, would disappoint him, an event which would lead to another sad one.
Seeing that it was not a lie that The Citizens, as Manchester City are popularly known, had lost the game, Manyepo decided to take his own life.
Reason? He had borrowed US$500, placed all of it as a bet that The Citizens would win the game and watched in disbelief as the lost it all.
He had no way of repaying it.
Manchester City, the Fifa Club World Cup defending champions, lost the match 3-4 to Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal.
Having who have ruled the roost in the English Premier League under the astute guidance of Pep Guardiola, Manchester City were knocked out of the Club World Cup at the last-16 stage.
The Citizens were stunned in extra time by Al-Hilal in an incredible seven-goal thriller.
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Before the thrilling encounter, bookmakers had given Manchester City an advantage.
For Manyepo, a father of two, the electric atmosphere of the Club World Cup, a tournament he followed with keen passion, ended in unimaginable tragedy.
City’s unexpected loss became a catastrophic turning point in his life.
It ended his life, while Al-Hilal’s jubilant fans broke into a frenzy of celebrations.
The news of Manchester City’s defeat, coupled with the crushing reality of losing such a substantial sum, a fortune in the context of Kuwadzana’s economic realities, proved to be an unbearable burden.
In a moment of despair that speaks volumes about the deceptive grip of gambling addiction and its devastating consequences, Manyepo was found dangling on a rope he had tied to a tree.
Investigations done by NewsDay Weekender revealed that the US$500 that Manyepo had staked was borrowed money, highlighting the dangerous nature of high-stakes gambling, particularly in economically vulnerable communities in Zimbabwe.
His story is a heartbreaking testament to how gambling, often marketed as an exciting activity, can quickly spiral into a destructive force, leading to financial ruin, emotional distress and in tragic cases like Manyepo’s demise.
According to sources, the now-deceased, who was not formally employed, used money that he had borrowed from a friend to gamble at AfricaBet.
Lloyd Pikiri*, who lent US$500 to Manyepo, told NewsDay Weekender that the deceased had borrowed money ostensibly to foot his mother’s hospital bills.
Pikiri empathised with him.
“I am still in shock, I feel like I killed a friend,” he said trembling voice.
“Manyepo came to my house on Monday last week and asked for US$600 to pay for his mother’s hospital bills.
“He told me that his mother was admitted at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and she needed to do a CT scan, which cost US$300 before treatment.
“I was touched by the way he presented the case and I gave him US$500 and we agreed that he must pay it back before July 31.”
Further narrated Pikira: “Then on Friday the same week, I received news that Manyepo had passed away. I rushed to his place and that is when I discovered that he committed suicide three days after he lost the bet.”
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said in such cases of suicide, where the family of the deceased do not inform the police about the incident, they usually move in to find out what could have happened.
Nyathi highlighted that such cases are handled depending on various circumstances on the ground.
“It depends with the location. Some people might commit suicide at home, while some can do it away from home and the body will be discovered by the community even after a day or two,” he said.
“But in the event that the incident would have happened at home and they do not inform the police, then we move in to find out more details as part of our job.”
The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency latest report indicates that suicide accounts for 1,8% of all deaths in Zimbabwe.
In 2019, a Chinhoyi man committed suicide after he reportedly lost US$600 to gambling.
On Thursday, a Harare man fainted after losing US$724 betting on Aviator, popularly known as Chindege.
Fellow punters had to call for an ambulance to ferry the guy to the nearest hospital.
In January this year, a shift manager at Baker’s Inn appeared in court for stealing US$3 420 from his workplace and squandering it on Aviator.
William Gonese (28) from Chitungwiza pleaded guilty to theft charges when he appeared before Harare magistrate Lynne Chinzou.
During his plea, Gonese told the court that he committed the crime while trying to win more money to impress his new wife.
According to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Prevention and Management of Mental Health Conditions in Zimbabwe Report of 2022, men are contributing a higher rate of suicide than women.
Veteran talk show host Rebecca Chisamba, popularly known as Mai Chisamba, said it is a selfish decision that someone can commit suicide just because of football and US$500.
“A lot of youths are copying what other people are doing in this world of betting,” she said.
“Some don’t even know what it takes to be a gambler. These guys are very selfish.
“They commit suicide just because of US$500 and leave families behind.”
She added: “Betting has no formula. One can lose or win, but there is no one template for betting. People usually base their bets on the performance or historical backgrounds of the teams they bet on.
“However, this does not mean that they will win. It’s 50-50, and so there are no superstars in the world of betting. If gamblers take that into consideration, they will not reach a stage of suicide and they won’t put lots of money to betting.
“In some cultural beliefs, if someone commits suicide they are not treated with respect in the manner in which they are buried. Betting is a cancer that has destroyed lives. It is an income that comes through stupidity [hurombe].”
Suicide mortality rate in Zimbabwe was reported at 17,34% in 2021, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognised sources.
WHO defines suicide mortality rate as the number of suicide deaths in a year, divided by the population and multiplied by 100 000.
However, a research done by NewsDay Weekender noted that the cases of suicide are not well documented in Zimbabwe as little information is available on exact figures.
Kudakwashe Mchena, a leading psychologist, said gambling addiction is something that can be managed psychologically.
“Gambling addiction is just like any other addiction, whether substance or alcohol or anything else. So, you need proper psychological assistance.
“You need to go into therapy so that you can be helped to come out of the addiction. If not, this is where it results in fatalities such as committing suicide,” he said.
“It’s unfortunate that this guy was not able to get any support during this process, but addiction, whatever form of addiction, gambling specifically, is something that can be managed psychologically.
“A lot of people who go into gambling, don't realise that it’s a very dangerous addiction that can lead to fatalities.”
While the world continues to revel in the drama of the Fifa Club World Cup, the Manyepo family in Kuwadzana is plunged into mourning as no victory on the football pitch in America can ever bring them joy again.
Manyepo’s untimely death serves as an emotional, sombre counterpoint to the tournament’s joyous narrative, a chilling reminder of the hidden costs and devastating human toll that can accompany the global passion for sport and the pervasive reach of gambling.
*Not real name
