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.
