A 29 year old Zimbabwean man, Shupikai Chikuvira, committed suicide after his girlfriend refused to run away with him.

Chikuvira’s body was discovered hanging near a footpath in Mutawatawa, Zimbabwe by villagers, who called the police to the scene.

Mashonaland East acting provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Tendai Mwanza, confirmed the incident on Tuesday.

He said, “We are investigating the case of a man who hanged himself in Mutawatawa on August 4 after he allegedly had a misunderstanding with his lover. We urge people to exercise restraint and solve their misunderstandings amicably. It is, therefore, regrettable that a life was lost,” he said.

According to the police, Chikuvira visited his girlfriend, who was panning for gold along Mazowe River on August 4, and proposed that she elopes with him.

She, however, turned down the proposal, saying her parents had not approved of their relationship.

In a fit of rage, Chikuvira left the scene threatening to commit suicide and was later found hanging from a tree along a pathway leading to Chitsungo business centre.