News / Regional
Girl torches house with cigarette stub, stabs self to death
18 Apr 2012 at 04:48hrs | Views
Tragedy has struck a Gweru family after a 15-year-old Gweru girl who reportedly wanted to smoke mbanje accidentally torched the family house before committing suicide by stabbing herself with a kitchen knife.
The girl from Southdowns suburb is said to have accidentally torched the house with a cigarette stub as she attempted to stab herself.
On realising that the house was on fire, she ran for dear life.
Gweru provincial magistrate Mr Sithembinkosi Msipa heard that property worth about $120 000 was lost in the process.
Mr Msipa was told this during the appearance of the 15-year-old girl, who is now facing charges of negligence and causing serious damage to property.
The girl pleaded not guilty and was remanded on her own cognisance to 2 May.
For the State, Mr Michael Mhene told the court that some time this year, the complainant and owner of the destroyed property, Mrs Sheller Majongosi, met the accused teenager and her mother roaming the streets of Gweru as they were of no fixed abode.
Mr Mhene said Mrs Majongosi then invited the accused and her mother to her house after, which she then decided to live with them.
The court heard that on 24 January this year, Mrs Majongosi was left alone at the house while the accused and her mother took a walk.
Mr Mhene said the complainant then locked the house doors and left for the city centre to conduct some personal business.
He said while the complainant was on her way to board a commuter omnibus, she met the accused who was alone and gave her the house keys after she indicated that she wanted to have a rest after a walk.
While in the house alone, the teenager then allegedly decided to commit suicide by first smoking mbanje and then stabbing herself with a kitchen knife, the court heard.
Mr Mhene said the accused girl then took a cigarette, which she thought was mbanje, which was kept in her mother's purse before she started puffing it.
It is the State's case that after smoking the cigarette, the accused girl then threw a lit stub on the floor in her bedroom and proceeded to the kitchen to look for a kitchen knife.
The court heard that while she was still contemplating stabbing herself, she later realised that the whole house had been engulfed in flames and she bolted out of the house.
The matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of the teenager.
Property worth $119 074 was destroyed.
The girl from Southdowns suburb is said to have accidentally torched the house with a cigarette stub as she attempted to stab herself.
On realising that the house was on fire, she ran for dear life.
Gweru provincial magistrate Mr Sithembinkosi Msipa heard that property worth about $120 000 was lost in the process.
Mr Msipa was told this during the appearance of the 15-year-old girl, who is now facing charges of negligence and causing serious damage to property.
The girl pleaded not guilty and was remanded on her own cognisance to 2 May.
For the State, Mr Michael Mhene told the court that some time this year, the complainant and owner of the destroyed property, Mrs Sheller Majongosi, met the accused teenager and her mother roaming the streets of Gweru as they were of no fixed abode.
Mr Mhene said Mrs Majongosi then invited the accused and her mother to her house after, which she then decided to live with them.
Mr Mhene said the complainant then locked the house doors and left for the city centre to conduct some personal business.
He said while the complainant was on her way to board a commuter omnibus, she met the accused who was alone and gave her the house keys after she indicated that she wanted to have a rest after a walk.
While in the house alone, the teenager then allegedly decided to commit suicide by first smoking mbanje and then stabbing herself with a kitchen knife, the court heard.
Mr Mhene said the accused girl then took a cigarette, which she thought was mbanje, which was kept in her mother's purse before she started puffing it.
It is the State's case that after smoking the cigarette, the accused girl then threw a lit stub on the floor in her bedroom and proceeded to the kitchen to look for a kitchen knife.
The court heard that while she was still contemplating stabbing herself, she later realised that the whole house had been engulfed in flames and she bolted out of the house.
The matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of the teenager.
Property worth $119 074 was destroyed.
Source - TC
