A 58-YEAR-OLD Bulilima man has died after a Christmas Day booze binge, police have said.
Bulilima and Mangwe police district officer responsible for crime, Superintendent Pedzai Dzindimu said Themba Moyo from Tjemahale Village drank undiluted spirits on Christmas Day and on December 26 without taking any food.
He said Moyo started complaining of stomach pains and died three days later.
“A man is suspected to have died because of excessive drinking. Themba Moyo consumed undiluted spirits and hot stuff over two days non-stop. Over those two days he didn’t eat anything. He later started complaining of stomach pains but didn’t seek any medical attention. On 29 December he went to work in the fields in the morning together with his family,” he said.
Supt Dzindimu said on their way back home at around 10AM Moyo collapsed and died on the spot. He said Moyo’s body was taken to Plumtree District Hospital Mortuary where it was awaiting post-mortem.
He said preliminary investigations had shown that Moyo had died as a result of excessive drinking.
He urged members of the public to act responsibly during the festive holiday.
Mr Moyo’s cousin, Mr Alfred Nyoni said they had tried to discourage Moyo from drinking excessively to no avail.
“We were all drinking at home to celebrate Christmas Day but my cousin was taking the spirits undiluted. We tried to stop him but he became violent and said he was celebrating the festive holiday. He even refused to eat any food on that day.
“The following day he left home in the morning and spent the whole day drinking with his friends. They told us that he was also drinking undiluted spirits. When he returned we gave him food but he refused to eat,” he said.
Mr Nyoni said Moyo also refused to seek medical attention when he started experiencing stomach pains.
He said on the day that he died, Moyo lied that the pain had subsided and volunteered to go to the fields instead of resting at home.
Mr Nyoni said the family suspected that Moyo had been killed by drinking excessively. – State Media