adminMelody Baya, Court Reporter
A trial date has been set for a 17-year-old boy from Bulawayo who allegedly killed his 76-year-old grandmother in August last year.
The teenager, whose name cannot be disclosed for ethical reasons, is set to appear at the Bulawayo High court on May 5.
He allegedly assaulted Elizabeth Mhlanga of Lobengula West suburb before he left her to burn inside her bedroom.
Mhlanga allegedly had a misunderstanding with the teenager prior to the incident.
The post-mortem report shows Mhlanga died due to, among other elements, burns sustained from the fire, a court heard.
The teenager on Thursday appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Themba Chimiso facing a murder charge.
Chimiso did not ask him to plead and remanded him in custody.
Prosecuting, Mufaro Mageza told the court that on August 12, 2015, at around 9PM at Lobengula West, Mhlanga had a misunderstanding with the teenager over a set of keys he had taken.
“The misunderstanding degenerated into a fight and the accused pushed the now deceased resulting in her falling and she hit her head on the corner of a dressing table that was nearby. On the dressing table there was a candle which fell on the bed igniting the blankets and the mosquito net and the room was all aflame,” said Mageza.
“Accused person rushed to a neighbour’s house and told him that the house was on fire. They quickly ran back to the house and they managed to save a child who was sitting in the dining room.”
The prosecutor said the teenager along with the neighbour went and made a police report.
Online Reporter