A top opposition official who was found dead in a Zimbabwe prison last month died of chloroquine poisoning in what authorities said was probably suicide, state television said on Thursday.
The announcement of the cause of death of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) representative Learnmore Jongwe had been eagerly awaited here. The opposition has said it holds the government responsible for his death.
Policeman Wayne Bvudzijena told state television the government pathologist indicated ”that the cause of death was chloroquine poisoning, or shock.”
”Chloroquine use is quite prevalent in suicide cases and we would like to suspect that this could be the case.”
Chloroquine is used to treat malaria. It was not immediately clear where he got the drug from.
Jongwe had been held in remand prison in Harare since he allegedly murdered his wife in a domestic dispute in July.
The findings of an independent pathologist’s examination are still to be released but police said they are ”not interested in his results”, ZBC said. – Sapa-AFP