adminMarvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
A GWANDA herdsman who set ablaze his neighbour’s hut for allegedly spreading falsehoods about him will spend the next 18 months in jail. Mxolisi Dube, who was employed as a herdsman at Mazikelela village under Chief Mathema, pleaded guilty to malicious damage to property when he appeared before magistrate Olivia Mashava Mashaire on Monday.
He told the court he burnt Emily Sibindi’s hut as her son, Mbijana Sibindi, had been spreading falsehoods about him around the village.
“Mbijana was spreading lies about me saying that I’d told him that my friend Thembani Ndlovu was sick. As a result Ndlovu assaulted me and in turn I went to Sibindi’s homestead to seek an explanation on the issue. I found him not at home and as a result I burnt the kitchen hut,” Dube said.
He was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment of which six months were suspended for five years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within that period.
Prosecutor Gertrude Zvidzai said last week on Wednesday at around 1AM, Dube proceeded to Sibindi’s homestead and started banging doors.
When Sibindi went to investigate, she saw Dube standing in front of the house holding a log.
She asked him what was going on but Dube kept quiet.
“Fearing for her life, the complainant locked herself in her bedroom. While inside her bedroom, Dube set alight her kitchen hut. The complainant saw the flames of her burning kitchen from her bedroom and she screamed for help. A neighbour, Bekezela Sibindi came to her rescue and Dube ran away,” Zvidzai said.
The value of the burnt property was $1,200.
Bongani Moyo
Online Reporter