18-year old teen commits suicide in Mzuzu over MK1,000

By Thula Chisamba

The only known reason 18 year old, Upile Mtawali, hanged himself was that his aunt denied to give him pocket money.

His aunt told our reporter on Thursday that Upile demanded only MK1000, for his upkeep at Chibavi Community Day Secondary School in Mzuzu.

According to the Aunt, Upile was a drunkard.   

“Though he was in form three at Chibavi community day, Upile was boozing too much and I still believe that his hasty and risky decision was influenced by alcohol,” said his aunt.

Upile was found dangling in his room, with a suicide note on his bed, elucidating reasons that qualified him to take away his life.

This publication managed to press his classmate at Chibavi, Anthony Mzumara, who described Upile as someone who was often easily influenced by peer presure.

“On his own, Upile was a good boy but the bad company he joined, heavily affected his behavior. Even at school, his performance declined,” he said.

His suicide was reported to the Malawi Police Service, who rushed to the scene and unfastened him from the rope he used to hang himself.

In an interview, Mzuzu Police publicist, Sergeant Martine Bwanali, described Upile’s attitude as worrisome and uncalled for.

“It is very worrisome to learn that Upile had to take away his life because of money. In fact, he was very young, with a future that would have helped not only himself and his family, but also his country,” he said.

Though The Malawi Star can not independently confirm the allegations, other residents from the neighborhood said there is more to Upile’s death than what his aunt has claimed.

“The same aunt knows how she was mistreating Upile,” said another neighbor.

Postmortem results sourced at Mzuzu health center show that Upile succumbed to strangulation.

He hailed from Mvululani village, Themba Mwangolera in Rumphi District.