adminLorraine Mtetwa (40) and her three daughters Colleta Gohodza (17), Shamiso (16) and Rutendo Mukarati (12) died at Harare Central Hospital due to burns sustained in the incident, while three other relatives, Gamuchirai Gohodza (15), Ruvimbo (13) and Mellisa Mukarati (8) are still admitted in the intensive care unit.
Bernard Mucheka (43) was charged with seven counts of murder and attempted murder when he appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei who remanded him in custody to Wednesday next week.
He was advised to apply for bail at the High Court due to the gravity of the offence.
Prosecutor Mr Tungamirai Chakurira alleged that some time in February, Lorraine decided to end their relationship which started in 2011 after she realised that Mucheka was married to another woman.
Mucheka, it is alleged, could not stomach being dumped and told Lorraine that he would fix her. Mr Chakurira said that on April 20 around midnight, Mucheka went to Mtetwa’s house in Epworth with five litres of petrol.
He broke one of the bedroom windows where Mtetwa was sleeping with some of her children, while the others were sleeping in another room, before sprinkling the petrol all over the room.
Mucheka then set the house ablaze, the court heard. Mtetwa’s son, Lovemore, who was sleeping in the dining room, woke up and saw fire in the house.
He woke up his mother and sisters before rescuing them, but they had already sustained severe burns.
The injured were rushed to Harare Central Hospital where Mtetwa died on April 23, Colleta on the following day while Rutendo and Shamiso died on April 25.
Online Reporter