Crime and Courts
16-year-old Loses Her Life After ZIMSEC 2025 Results Released
A 16-year-old girl from Nguboyenja suburb in Bulawayo took her own life by ingesting poison after observing that she had failed her 2025 O-Level examinations
Wilma Mavhengere
A 16-year-old girl from Nguboyenja suburb in Bulawayo took her own life by ingesting poison after observing that she had failed her 2025 O-Level examinations
Last Friday, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education announced the release of the O-Level results and candidates checked their scores on the Zimsec online portal.
In a statement, Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele confirmed that police received a report of a sudden death by poisoning, in which a 16-year-old female from Nguboyenja, Bulawayo, took her own life after observing she had failed her November 2025 Ordinary Level examinations.
Inspector Msebele said the incident occurred on Friday last week at around 9 pm after the girl checked her results on the ZIMSEC portal.
“Upon discovering that she only passed two subjects out of seven subjects, she was devastated and started crying. After a while she calmed down, rushed to the kitchen where she took an insecticide inside a cupboard which was bought for killing cockroaches and drank it,” said Inspector Msebele.
She said that while the girl was drinking the substance, one of her cousins saw her, screamed and quickly grabbed the insecticide, while also alerting others to what had happened.
“Her cousins tried to render first aid by giving her milk and charcoal. She was rushed to Mpilo Hospital, where she passed on while being admitted. A police report was made,” said Inspector Msebele.
She encouraged young people to always reach out to parents, teachers, counsellors, or close friends when they feel emotionally overwhelmed, emphasising that suicide is never a solution.
“We also urge parents not to keep pesticides, poisons or toxic chemicals within reach of children,” said Inspector Msebele