A new online betting sensation, popularly known as Kandege, has gripped Zimbabwe, drawing in thousands of gamblers eager to test their luck.
However, the craze has already claimed its first casualty—a Gweru police officer who took his own life after losing borrowed money.
Claude Jele reportedly ingested poison shortly after leaving behind a suicide note, unable to cope with the financial loss.
Kandege, officially known as Aviator, is an online multiplayer betting game developed by Spribe. The game involves a virtual plane that takes off, with a multiplier increasing as it climbs higher. Players must decide when to cash out their bets before the plane disappears—an unpredictable moment that keeps the stakes high.
According to sources, Jele had borrowed US$3,000 to fund his bets, but after suffering massive losses, he saw no way out.
“He borrowed money to play Kandege but lost everything. The pressure of repaying the debt, combined with a lack of counseling, led him to take his own life,” a source told H-Metro.
In his suicide note, Jele reflected on his struggles:
“Having lived for 38 years, I now feel it makes no difference whether I stay or leave. Please don’t blame anyone—this is my own decision,” part of the note read.
He expressed deep sorrow over the pain his death would cause his loved ones and pleaded for forgiveness, urging people not to falsely accuse his wife. He attributed his tragic decision to personal failures in life.
Jele’s passing highlights the darker side of the fast-growing betting culture, where financial desperation can have devastating consequences.
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