Man locks up children in hut, burn them alive

The High Court in Gweru has handed down two life sentences to 20-year-old Abel Mativenga of Watershed Farm for the murder of two minors in a deliberate fire last year. The victims, 13-year-old Everjoy Mangena and five-year-old Natasha Kanyama, died after Mativenga set alight the hut in which they were taking refuge.

According to court records, on March 19, 2025, Mativenga, enraged by allegations that his parents were practicing witchcraft, decided to take revenge on the children. He fastened the bedroom hut door with wire and ignited the structure using a cigarette lighter. Reports indicate that he watched from a distance as the fire consumed the hut.

Neighbours rushed to the scene after hearing the children's cries but were unable to rescue them after the roof collapsed. Both victims died instantly.

In sentencing, the court highlighted the premeditated nature of the act, deliberate entrapment, and intentional burning of the victims, imposing the maximum penalty of two life sentences.

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) described the crime as "cruel and heinous," emphasizing that the ruling sends a strong message that violence against children will attract the harshest punishment.

"This was a cruel, premeditated act that took two young lives. The court's sentence affirms that such violence, especially against children, will attract the harshest punishment," the NPAZ stated.