Sunday, July 13, 2025 - A 34-year-old man from Harare’s Kuwadzana suburb, Zimbabwe, has taken his life after losing a $500 sports bet, marking another tragic case in Zimbabwe’s growing gambling crisis.
Taurai Manyepo, a father of two, placed a high-stakes wager
on Manchester City to defeat Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal in the FIFA Club World
Cup. Contrary to expectations, the English champions suffered a 4-3 loss in
extra time, resulting in a devastating outcome for Manyepo, who had borrowed
the entire amount for the bet.
The borrowed funds had reportedly been obtained under false
pretenses. According to Lloyd Pikiri, the lender, Manyepo had claimed the money
was urgently needed for his mother’s CT scan at Parirenyatwa Hospital.
“I feel like I killed a friend. He presented such a
convincing story about his mother’s CT scan needs,” Pikiri said, visibly shaken
by the incident.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi
emphasised the importance of thoroughly investigating suicide cases,
particularly when they go unreported by families. He also expressed concern
over the rising number of suicide incidents linked to gambling losses.
According to World Bank data, Zimbabwe’s suicide rate currently stands at
17.34%, and gambling-related suicides are becoming increasingly frequent.
Manyepo’s death is not an isolated case. In 2019, a Chinhoyi
man died by suicide after losing $600 to betting. More recently, a Harare man
collapsed after losing $724 on the popular Aviator game, and a Baker’s Inn
manager stole $3,420 from his workplace to finance his gambling addiction.
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