Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo
Court Correspondent
A Harare man has appeared in court for allegedly setting fire to a carpenter’s workshop at Kuwadzana 5 Home Industries, destroying property worth US$15 000.
Gift Sithole (30) appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Ruth Moyo last Friday facing a charge of malicious property damage. He was remanded in custody until Thursday, September 17 2026 for bail consideration.
Three other accused persons who are jointly charged with Sithole are already on remand pending trial on September 23, 2026. The complainant, Tawanda Luckmore Warurama, is a self-employed carpenter operating from Kuwadzana 5 Home Industries.
The State alleges that on August 31, 2026, at around 5 pm, Warurama was inside his iron-sheet workshop when he noticed smoke coming from one corner of the structure. He reportedly went outside to investigate and discovered that the workshop was on fire.
The court heard that Warurama raised an alarm and tried to put out the fire with the assistance of other people, but their efforts were unsuccessful. It is alleged that Warurama later made inquiries through his employee, Davison Mapuranga, who reportedly told him that he had seen Sithole collecting twigs and starting the fire.
Mapuranga allegedly observed Sithole in the company of the other three accused persons when the fire was started. The court further heard that the fire quickly spread, destroying the complainant’s carpentry equipment and other property valued at US$15 000.
