A 61-year-old Bikita school headmaster was found on Monday hanging from a tree in an apparent suicide, three days after government auditors discovered that $6,000 was missing from the school. Masvingo deputy provincial education director Andrew Chikwange confirmed the death of Kushingirira High School headmaster Abel Mupfavi, but could not give further details.
“We’re seized with the matter as we speak but we don’t have more details. It’s a sad scenario,” said Chikwange. Acting Masvingo police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Kudakwashe Dehwa said he was yet to receive a report on the matter yesterday. However, a teacher at the school who spoke on condition of anonymity said Mupfavi, of Chidumira village under Chief Mukanganwi was found hanging from a tree in a bush, some few kilometres from the school, three days after the audit.
He said two days before his body was found, Mupfavi left the school under the pretext of going to Masvingo town. The teacher claimed that Mupfavi’s pockets contained a resignation letter and some leave forms. He said his body was taken to Silveira Mission Hospital mortuary.
“On Friday last week, auditors from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary education visited the school after which they carried an audit on school books.
“They then discovered some money amounting to $6,000 was missing from the school coffers and Mupfavi could not explain it,” said a teacher who asked not to be named for professional reasons. He said the case involving the missing funds was reported to the police but no one was picked in connection with the matter.
Mupfavi is said to have used a wire to commit suicide. “It remains a mystery why he decided to take his life as no one had fingered him over the missing money. “There was no suicide note on his body, only a resignation letter and leave forms were the only documents found on him,” he added.-State Media