CommuTalk Reporter
GOKWE: A 26-year-old man from Gokwe with a mental health history recently ran amok and attacked his elderly parents, severely assaulting the mother and stoning to death his father.
Nkululeko Dube (26) who is said to have been on mental health medication left home on Monday leaving behind his now deceased 81-year-old father, Jabulani Duba at home with his wife, Joyce.
Confirming the incident, Midlands provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko said Dube later returned home at around 1700hrs naked and started assaulting his mother.
He said the mother then called her octogenarian husband to rescue her from further assault but the son turned on his father.
He is reported to have pushed his father on the floor before he grabbed some stones which he used to strike at him.
“The two elderly parents called for help from neighbours but when they arrived, the old man was reportedly dead,” CommuTalk is further told.
Insp Mahoko also says the matter was later reported to the police who attended to the scene.
“Dube was later arrested and the body of his father was taken to Gokwe District Hospital mortuary.
“I would like to also advise those living with mentally challenged people or relatives to make sure their administer medication to such people as and when advised by medical doctors,” he added.
Médecins Sans Frontières once reported that stigma and discrimination against patients with mental illness is rampant. People lack information on mental health. The care given to mental health patients is not the same as the care given to patients suffering from other conditions like HIV, and there are very few champions for mental health, if they are there at all.
