DETAILS EMERGE: Why ZRP High School student committed suicide

A Sombre atmosphere, with students still clearly in shock, hung over ZRP High School yesterday after an 18-year-old student hanged himself in a dormitory on Monday evening.

The building, where he hanged himself, is still under construction at the school, which is one of the top institutions, in terms of academic excellence, in Harare.

Prince Taonezvi hanged himself with a rope and his body was discovered by two caretakers working at the school grounds.

Headmaster, Seviours Mutopa, made a police report and Prince’s body was removed yesterday.

Sources told H-Metro that the Upper Sixth student was expected to appear before a school disciplinary committee for allegedly fondling a female student’s breasts.

“Prince proposed to a female student sometime last week and his proposal was spurned.

“He then found the girl standing next to a wall and grabbed her from behind, and fondled her breasts.

“The girl screamed for help and shouted at him in anger.

“The matter was reported to the headmaster, who asked the two to submit reports of what transpired.

“Prince handed in his report and was told he would be called in for a hearing on a misconduct charge,” said the source.

National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, confirmed the case.

“Police confirm the tragic and unfortunate death of an Upper Six student at ZRP High School on Monday at around 5pm.

“The student allegedly committed suicide in circumstances which are now subject to investigations,” said Ass Comm Nyathi.

There was an eerie atmosphere at the school yesterday as students attended class, in the wake of the tragedy.

Prince left a suicide note, whose contents were not released by the police.

His suicide comes just over a week after a 15-year-old Bulawayo boy, Jayden Saudan, took his life by downing a pesticide after complaining of bullying at school.

Jayden was a Form Three student at Hamilton High School, where a 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death in school gang wars last month.

A Form One student at a private school in Bulawayo’s Luveve suburb also committed suicide by hanging herself in her bedroom, in the presence of her eight-year-old sister, on Sunday evening.

It’s still not clear why she took her own life. H Metro