By Mary Makhiringa

Balaka, June 6, Mana:  A 69-year-old woman has committed suicide in Balaka by taking pesticides over husband's infidelity, Balaka Police confirmed the case.

Balaka Police Public Relationms Officer, Gladson M’bumpha, identified the deceased as Maria Makoko of Chimpakati Village, Traditional Authority Chanthunya in the district.

“Police report indicates that the woman was married to Francis Kamba aged 60, from the same village some years ago. The deceased accused her husband, Kamba of flirting with a certain young woman within the village.

“The matter was amicably resolved at family level, but it was still in the woman's heart, such that whenever there were disagreements in the house, the issue resurfaced” the police publicist added.

He said on Tuesday, at about 05:00 hours, the woman asked her husband to give her cash but the husband told her that he had no money.

“This did not please the wife, who openly told her husband that his money was mostly spent on his lover. The woman told her husband and her family members that she was going to kill herself because she was tired of her husband's behaviour,” M’bumpha added

He added that the wife disappeared from the house, adding that family members started searching for her after realising her disappearance.

“In the process, she was found lying down in the garden, battling for her life.
Beside her were two bottles of pesticides, one was empty while the other was full of the liquid stuff,” he added.

Makoko was rushed to Kankao Health Centre where she died while receiving treatment and post-mortem showed that death was due to poisoning, according to Balaka Police.