IN an incident that has set tongues wagging in Makokoba suburb, a Bulawayo man set alight his ex-lover’s lodgings with a petrol bomb as he could not stomach the termination of their relationship.
The incident occurred in the early hours of yesterday, when
the landlord, Mr Clifford Nyathi was wakened up by screams as his house was
going down in flames, after his tenant Ms Sikhangezile Moyo’s former lover,
only identified as Albert had started a fire.
Mr Nyathi told Sunday News that they suspected that Albert
was irked by the termination of his relationship with Ms Moyo.
“This morning (Saturday) at around 4.30am to 5am, I was
awakened by the screams of two women who are my tenants, a mother and her
daughter. They said there was fire at their door and the smoke had engulfed the
place. The fire was coming from outside and as we attempted to pour water to
put out the fire, it only got worse.
“Albert who had started the fire outside, kept on pouring a
certain liquid, which we believe was fuel, possibly petrol. We did not know who
it was until Ms Moyo peeped through the window and saw that it was his
ex-lover,” he said.
He said Albert had used plastics and clothes that he took
from a neighbour’s house, as well as theirs that were on the washing line
outside and set them on fire on his door.
Mr Nyathi said they believe the motive of Albert’s action
was to try and make those in the house respond and open the door for him.
“We did not open the door and that is why he ended up
throwing it just in front of the door. From what he left behind, I have
evidence that it was some kind of petrol bomb as I picked it up from where he
threw it, it did not burn completely,” he said.
Mr Nyathi said the fire was successfully extinguished by
neighbours, who quickly responded to the scene as the screams continued.
Mr Nyathi, said Albert had previous violent incidents with
Ms Moyo, while earlier this month he vandalised his property, breaking windows
and doors as well as trying to violently attack his tenant with a machete.
“Albert has a criminal history, as he has been incarcerated
multiple times, serving a five-year sentence for cattle rustling in the rural
areas. We reported the matter to the police, however, his whereabouts are
unknown as he ran away when the neighbours came to intervene,” he said.
He said he made a report to the police although they could
not be reached for a comment. Sunday
News
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