Man (22) sets hut ablaze, kills wife (41), daughter

A 22-YEAR-OLD Pfungwe man, Isaac Maruza, yesterday appeared before Harare High Court judge Justice Garainesu Mawadze charged with killing his 41-year-old wife and daughter by locking them inside a grass-thatched hut and setting it ablaze.

The couple was reportedly on separation over accusations of infidelity.  

The incident allegedly occurred at Mukari village under Chief Pfungwe on October 12, 2007.

However, Maruza yesterday denied the charge of killing his wife Shorai Gwekwe and daughter Florence Maruza.

Prosecutor General's representative Douglas Chesa told the court that Maruza set the pair ablaze after he allegedly got offended when he saw his estranged wife drinking beer in the company of other men.

Chesa told the court that on the day in question, Maruza and his wife were both drinking beer at the Kajiwa homestead, but at different places. Maruza immediately left heading home.

The court heard that Maruza later stormed his wife's homestead where he allegedly locked the hut in which the two were sleeping and set it ablaze before disappearing into the night.

After setting the house on fire, Maruza was allegedly seen by his 15-year-old brother-in-law who reported the matter to the police, leading to his arrest.

However, in his defence Maruza, through his lawyer Harrison Nkomo, told the court he never killed his former wife.

The trial continues today.