The family of Richard Mills, the award-winning photojournalist who died
recently during an undercover assignment in Zimbabwe, says it now
accepts the post-mortem result that he committed suicide, writes Gugu
Ziyaphapha.
According to Zimbabwe police reports, Milles, from Britain’s The Times, died of asphyxiation by hanging.
Journalists, family and friends of the 42-year-old Mills initially suspected foul play since he was working as an undercover journalist.ÂÂÂ
The Irish-born Mills was found dead in his hotel room on July 14th but his family was informed of his death only on July29th.
The day before he was found dead he had interviewed a white farmer who was brutally assaulted by suspected Zanu-PF members after speaking out against farm and land redistribution.
“Having had the chance to examine in detail the circumstances surrounding Richard’s death we are now reconciled to the fact that he did indeed take his own life,†said the family in a statement.
 “We would respectfully ask the media to stop further speculation and let the family mourn our loss and grieve in peace.â€ÂÂ
The family now says he killed himself after the “suffering and extreme hardship he witnessed at first hand in many harrowing situations throughout the world proved too much for him to bear.â€ÂÂ
Apart from Zimbabwe, he worked on assignments in other trouble spots such as Northern Ireland, war-torn Afghanistan and Iraq.
