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The devastating reality of gambling addiction has once again come to the forefront after a Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officer in Gweru took his own life following heavy losses on the online betting game Aviator, commonly known as “Kandege.”
Constable Claude Jele, who had pinned his hopes on sports betting to improve his financial situation, reportedly lost US$3,000—money he had borrowed—in a desperate attempt to strike it big. Sources close to the matter revealed that overwhelmed by the debt and with no access to proper counseling, Jele saw no way out and tragically ended his life.
Shortly before consuming an unidentified poison, he penned a heartbreaking suicide note, expressing his despair and final thoughts. “Having survived all these 38 years, I have reached a point where I feel like it’s all the same being on this earth or leaving. So please do not accuse anyone or anything; it is my personal decision to end my life this way,” he wrote.
His final words were also directed to his children, Ganizani and Keisha, seeking their forgiveness and urging them to grow up well. He assured the mother of his children that no one was to blame for his decision, emphasizing that they had been living in harmony. Jele also left contact details of two individuals he wished to be notified of his passing.
This tragic incident sheds light on the harsh economic realities facing Zimbabwe’s civil servants. With wages falling far short of the rising cost of living, many government employees, including police officers, teachers, and nurses, are turning to betting as a desperate means to supplement their meager earnings. The lure of quick money becomes an enticing escape from financial hardships, yet for many, it spirals into devastating losses, debt, and emotional turmoil.
If a salaried police officer is driven to this level of desperation, what more for the countless unemployed Zimbabweans struggling to make ends meet? The widespread economic hardship is pushing many into high-risk gambling, with little to no financial safety nets or support systems available. With betting platforms easily accessible via mobile phones, the grip of gambling addiction is tightening on an already burdened population.
Jele’s death is a sobering reminder of the need for greater awareness, financial literacy, and mental health support to address the underlying causes that drive people into gambling traps. The government and relevant stakeholders must recognize the economic despair fueling this crisis and take urgent steps to ensure that vulnerable citizens are not left with gambling as their only perceived way out.
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