Man torches in-laws’ homestead

Beitbridge Reporter
A 31-year-old man from Kadoma, who had a marital problem with his wife, ran amok and burnt down his in-laws’ home destroying property worth $5 000.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday at Mahapa village in the Makhado area of Beitbridge.
The Officer Commanding Police in Beitbridge District, Chief Superintendent Lawrence Chinhengo said the suspect, Calisto Chuma, had since been arrested on charges of malicious damage to property.
“The suspect, who stays in Kadoma, had a domestic dispute with his wife resulting in the woman fleeing their matrimonial home going to stay with her parents at Makhado village. On Christmas Day, Chuma followed his wife and on arrival at his in-laws’ homestead, he was informed that the woman had fled to South Africa and a dispute ensued between the suspect and his in-laws,” he said.
The in-laws then later convened a meeting over the issue but they failed to resolve the matter.
On the fateful day at around 2am, the suspect went to each of the three complainants’ homesteads while they were asleep.
He sprinkled their huts with paraffin before torching them and in the process property worth $5 000 was destroyed and no one was injured.
Chief Supt Chinhengo said the matter was reported to the police leading to Chuma’s arrest.
“We arrested the suspect and he is in our custody assisting us with investigations and he will appear in court soon.
“As police we continue to record several domestic violence related cases and hence we urge people to desist from the culture of violence in the event of disputes.
Such cases are avoidable if proper counselling is rendered and hence we urge people to seek advice first rather than resort to burning down other people’s properties,” he said.