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Tendai Mugido Herald Reporter
A 24-YEAR-OLD Rusape woman accused of burning her two daughters and husband after a row over US$30 yesterday failed to appear at the Harare Magistrates’ Court as she is battling for her life in Harare Central Hospital’s Burns Unit.
In a rage ignited by an earlier quarrel over US$30 with her husband, Tapiwa Mamhunze, Petronilla Nyarugwe (24) from Tapera Village, Tsanzaguru in Rusape, on May 25 set the house she and her two minor children were in on fire, resulting in the death of her two-and-a-half- year-old baby.
The prosecution, led by Sebastian Mutizirwa, had to go to the Burns Unit at Harare Central Hospital to ascertain whether Nyarugwe was fit to stand trial.
Nyarugwe is facing two counts of attempted murder and one count of murder.
It is the State case that on May 25 as Nyarugwe approached home, she allegedly ambushed Mamhunze and doused him with petrol before setting him alight following a misunderstanding over US$30.
Mamhunze rushed into the bush and stripped off his clothes as he battled to save himself from the fire.
Mamhunze sustained some burns and was admitted at Rusape General Hospital.
In a fit of rage, Nyarugwe proceeded to lock herself and her two children, Devine (5) and Bathsheba, in a bedroom where she set herself and the children on fire.
Bathsheba died while Nyarugwe and Devine were later admitted in Harare Central Hospital’s Burns Unit.
Nyarugwe was set to appear before Harare magistrate Mr Vakai Chikwekwe, who remanded her in hospital to June 26
Online Reporter