Man in 'fiery revenge'

A Mhondoro man has appeared in court facing two counts of attempted murder after he set alight the huts in which his wife and his in-laws were sleeping and destroying property worth $10 000.

Never Manyaya (53) appeared before Chitungwiza magistrate Mrs Rumbidzai Sande. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody to August 22. He was advised to apply for bail at the High Court.

The State, led by Mr Norman Koropi, alleged that Manyaya and his wife, Irene Mupenda (43), had a prolonged marital dispute that resulted in her leaving her husband sometime last month to stay with her brother, Tineyi Mbangani, in Beatrice.

On August 13 at around 12.30am, Manyaya went to his brother-in-law's residence and tied the door of the hut in which his wife was sleeping, from outside and set alight the thatched roof before disappearing into the darkness.

Mbangani (39) woke up after smelling smoke from the burning grass and managed to rescue his sister and she escaped unhurt. Property worth $4 000 was destroyed. On the second count, Mbangani and his wife, Ivy Ndarakwa, alleged that on the same night, Manyaya locked the door of their hut from outside while they were sleeping with their two children aged three and one and also set the roof on fire.

Mbangani woke up soon and managed to take his family but property worth $6 000 was destroyed.

A report was made at Beatrice Police Station and officers who attended the scene and managed to establish that Manyaya had been in the vicinity through footsteps found at the home. They arrested the accused at his home in Mhondoro.