adminMidlands Reporter
A FEMALE arsonist who set a hut on fire in which her husband, his first wife and son were sleeping broke down in court yesterday after a magistrate sent her away for eight years in prison.Esnath Vushe, 20, of Shurugwi, was apparently incensed by her husband, Tonderai Mutelisa, 30, who allegedly accused her of being barren.
Vushe also claimed that her husband was depriving her of food and having sex with his senior wife in her presence as punishment.
Vushe vainly tried to convince Gweru Regional Magistrate Morgan Nemadire that she was only targeting her husband when she set the hut on fire.
Nemadire rolled the three counts of attempted murder into one for the purposes of sentencing.
The magistrate sentenced Vushe to 12 years in prison, but conditionally suspended four years. She will serve eight years.
Passing the sentence, Nemadire said: “This court considered the age of the accused and the circumstances she submitted as having led her to try and commit the atrocious act. However, that can never be a justification for taking or in this case attempting to take another person’s life.
“Violence of any sort is not condoned by this court. While the court sympathises with the accused person’s situation, she should be reminded that every individual should be accountable at the end of the day for his or her actions and accept the repercussions that follow.”
According to state prosecutor Terrance Mufarinya, on June 8 this year, Vushe who lived with Mutelisa as his second wife, got into a heated argument over her alleged inability to conceive.
Mutelisa and his first wife refused to give Vushe her supper and even proceeded to have sexual intercourse on her bed in her presence.
This led to an enraged Vushe leaving the house.
At around 3AM a day later, Vushe returned and set fire to the thatched hut where her husband, first wife and her 11-year-old son were sleeping.
She fled from the scene.
The three managed to escape with minor injuries and called in the police.
derick.khumalo