Domestic worker torches boss's homestead over salary

IN pursuit of revenge, a domestic worker from Bulilima torched his boss's homestead reducing her two huts to ashes as payback for harsh treatment and an unpaid salary.

Fanuel Moyo (19) told Plumtree magistrate Mr Gideon Ruvetsa that his employer Jaye Moyo (52) of Hingwe area pushed him to the limits.

"She has been ill treating me all this while but I have been putting up with her nonsense. I have been working for three good months herding her cattle but she has not been paying me.

"I am always being scolded and insulted over petty issues and she does not respect me at all. Every time I would inquire about my salary she would insult me and threaten to fire me. She has been taking advantage of my desperation to ill treat me," said Moyo.

"I could have left this job a long time ago but I have just been patient because I desperately need the money to help my family. I assumed that once I left this job I would struggle to secure another one.

"I also kept hoping that the situation would improve eventually until I realised that I had to stand up for myself once and for all."

He said fury drove him to set the complainant's homestead on fire.

Prosecutors said Moyo torched his boss's homestead on 23 July while she was asleep.

He proceeded to where the complainant lives around 4am. Moyo took a matchstick and lit a hut which was being used for storage purposes and also torched her bedroom hut.

The complainant woke up to find her hut on fire and fled from the homestead to alert her neighbours. They tried to put out the fire but failed and all her property which was in the two huts was destroyed.

With the help of her neighbours the complainant traced some footprints which led them to Moyo's homestead which is in the same area.

The complainant lost property worth R5 650 in the fire and Moyo was arrested immediately.

He was remanded in custody to 7 August.