Syrian Arab News Agency
Zuabi died on May 21, 2000. Conflicting reports say he died at age 62 or 65. According to a statement from the Interior Ministry, carried by the official Syrian Arab News Agency, Zuabi shot himself in the head at his home in Dumer outside Damascus. The statement said Zuabi died by suicide after learning that the Damascus police chief had come to his house to serve a judicial notice to appear before an investigating judge to answer allegations of corruption and other violations "that caused great harm to the national economy." An Interior Ministry spokesman said "a shot was heard upstairs and that was a shot fired by Zohbi at himself by his own pistol on the second floor of his house where his wife and children were present." The spokesman said Zuabi was rushed to the Mowasat hospital in Damascus, where he later died. Hospital officials said none of his family accompanied him to the hospital. In June 2000, according to Lara Marlowe, there were persistent rumours that Zuabi was actually murdered.