News / Regional
Man sets bedroom ablaze with wife and six children inside
03 Apr 2012 at 05:17hrs | Views
A 39-year-old Tsholotsho man has been sentenced to 24 months in prison for setting ablaze his own bedroom hut with six children inside.
Khulumani Clever Tshuma, of Majokotshoko Filling Station at Tsholotsho Business Centre, arrived at his homestead drunk and started insulting his wife and children.
He told his wife, Ms Hlanganani Ncube, to pack her belongings and leave his homestead for an undisclosed reason and went on to set a bedroom hut ablaze without regard to what would happen to the six children who were in the hut.
However, the six children escaped unhurt.
Tshuma was lucky to escape the agony of jail life after the magistrate, Mr Toendepi Zhou, sitting at the Tsholotsho magistrate's court suspended the sentence on conditions.
Of the 24 months, six months were suspended for five years on condition Tshuma does not commit a similar offence.
Another six months were suspended on condition he compensates Ms Ncube the sum of $260 being the total value of property burnt in the hut while the remaining 12 months were suspended on condition that Tshuma completes 420 hours of community service at Tsholotsho Police Station.
Tshuma told the court that he acted under the influence of alcohol and only realised later that he had made a mistake.
Sentencing Tshuma, the magistrate said he considered that he had committed a more serious form of domestic violence where his actions deprived Ms Ncube of proper shelter.
However, the magistrate said community service was the most appropriate punishment for him so that he provides for his family.
Ms Ncube also pleaded with the court that it considers not sending her husband to jail because doing so would have left their children suffering.
The State's case was that on 15 March, Tshuma arrived home from a beer drink at about 7pm and started shouting at his children threatening to beat them up.
He proceeded to the bedroom where Ms Ncube, who was not feeling well, was and also started insulting her telling her to leave his house.
When she was packing, Tshuma lit the bedroom hut while the children were inside, but they escaped unhurt.
The fire destroyed a mattress, clothes and a few other items.
Mr Tawanda Tsatsa prosecuted.
Khulumani Clever Tshuma, of Majokotshoko Filling Station at Tsholotsho Business Centre, arrived at his homestead drunk and started insulting his wife and children.
He told his wife, Ms Hlanganani Ncube, to pack her belongings and leave his homestead for an undisclosed reason and went on to set a bedroom hut ablaze without regard to what would happen to the six children who were in the hut.
However, the six children escaped unhurt.
Tshuma was lucky to escape the agony of jail life after the magistrate, Mr Toendepi Zhou, sitting at the Tsholotsho magistrate's court suspended the sentence on conditions.
Of the 24 months, six months were suspended for five years on condition Tshuma does not commit a similar offence.
Another six months were suspended on condition he compensates Ms Ncube the sum of $260 being the total value of property burnt in the hut while the remaining 12 months were suspended on condition that Tshuma completes 420 hours of community service at Tsholotsho Police Station.
Tshuma told the court that he acted under the influence of alcohol and only realised later that he had made a mistake.
However, the magistrate said community service was the most appropriate punishment for him so that he provides for his family.
Ms Ncube also pleaded with the court that it considers not sending her husband to jail because doing so would have left their children suffering.
The State's case was that on 15 March, Tshuma arrived home from a beer drink at about 7pm and started shouting at his children threatening to beat them up.
He proceeded to the bedroom where Ms Ncube, who was not feeling well, was and also started insulting her telling her to leave his house.
When she was packing, Tshuma lit the bedroom hut while the children were inside, but they escaped unhurt.
The fire destroyed a mattress, clothes and a few other items.
Mr Tawanda Tsatsa prosecuted.
Source - TC
