Married Man Dies by Suicide After Losing Borrowed Money Betting on Manchester City

Married Man Dies by Suicide After Losing Borrowed Money Betting on Manchester City

A 34-year-old man from the Kuwadzana area of Harare has tragically died by suicide after losing a $500 sports bet, in a case that is drawing attention to the growing dangers of gambling addiction across southern Africa.

The man, identified as Taurai Manyepo, a father of two, had staked the entire amount on English football giants Manchester City to beat Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal in the FIFA Club World Cup. The match ended in a shock 4–3 defeat for City after extra time — a result that left Manyepo devastated.

Investigations revealed that the $500 was borrowed under false pretenses. According to Lloyd Pikiri, the friend who lent him the money, Manyepo had claimed it was urgently needed for his mother’s medical scan at Parirenyatwa Hospital.

“I feel like I killed my own friend,” Pikiri said, visibly distraught. “He gave me a heartfelt story about his mother’s CT scan. I had no idea it was all for betting.”

Zimbabwean police confirmed the incident and have called on the public to take mental health and gambling addiction more seriously. Commissioner Paul Nyathi, the national police spokesperson, urged families to report all suspected suicide cases for proper investigation. He also warned about the rising trend of suicide linked to gambling losses, which has become more common in recent years.

According to World Bank data, Zimbabwe’s suicide rate currently stands at 17.34%. Experts say economic hardship, rising unemployment, and easy access to betting platforms have contributed to a surge in gambling-related distress across the region.

Manyepo’s case is not isolated. In 2019, another Zimbabwean man from Chinhoyi reportedly died by suicide after losing \$600 on a bet. More recently, a man collapsed in Harare after losing \$724 on the Aviator game, and a Baker’s Inn manager was arrested for stealing over \$3,000 from his workplace to fund a gambling habit.

The situation echoes similar concerns in Nigeria, where the rapid spread of online sports betting — often fueled by English Premier League matches — has led to financial ruin and mental health crises for many young people. Advocacy groups are now calling for tougher regulation and better awareness campaigns across Africa to tackle the growing gambling epidemic.