Landlady pours boiling oil on tenant

A BULAWAYO woman allegedly scalded her tenant on the neck and arm with boiling cooking oil after an argument over disciplining her three- year-old child who had broken the tenant's cigarettes.

Ellen Ndlovu, 30, pleaded not guilty to a physical abuse charge before magistrate Sibongile Msipha-Marondedze. Prosecuting Maria John said on October 22, Ndlovu's son broke Elnett Zvinorowa's cigarettes while he was playing.

She said Zvinorowa, 27, picked up a stick which she wanted to use to discipline the boy but Ndlovu intervened. Ndlovu, the court heard, started accusing Zvinorowa of being a lesbian and Zvinorowa called her a prostitute.

John told the court that Ndlovu took a pan with hot oil from a stove and splashed it over Zvinorowa's neck and left arm before using the pan to hit her.

The magistrate advised Zvinorowa to attend court for trial on November 9 when she will take the witness stand.