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Woman jailed for scalding lover with boiling water
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A woman from Insuza has been sentenced to an effective three years in prison after she poured boiling water over her partner while he slept, leaving him with serious burn injuries.
Sithamela Ngwenya was convicted of physical abuse after pleading guilty before Bulawayo provincial magistrate Isheunesu Mathoba. She was initially sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with two years suspended for five years on condition that she does not commit a similar offence, leaving her to serve an effective three-year jail term.
The court heard that Ngwenya attacked her partner, Handsome Khumalo of Lupane, after he told her he intended to return to his wife.
In passing sentence, Magistrate Mathoba strongly condemned Ngwenya's actions, describing the attack as premeditated and motivated by jealousy.
"What you did is very bad, and it shows that you are an evil person. You wanted to kill your lover because he had told you that he wanted to return to his wife," the magistrate said.
He added that a custodial sentence was necessary to punish the offender and deter others from committing similar crimes.
During mitigation, Ngwenya expressed remorse and apologised to Khumalo, telling the court that she still loved him.
"I am really sorry to my lover. I committed this offence because I was angry that he had told me that he was returning to his wife after spending several months with me. I plead for leniency, Your Worship," she said.
Prosecutor Mabusiso Moyo told the court that the attack was carefully planned, with Ngwenya waiting until Khumalo had fallen asleep before carrying it out.
The incident occurred in the early hours of 5 July 2026. According to the State, Khumalo arrived home intoxicated shortly after 1 a.m. and found Ngwenya boiling water at the fireplace before he went to bed.
At around 4 a.m., he woke up in excruciating pain, feeling an intense burning sensation across his body while the room was filled with a foul smell.
As he attempted to scratch himself, he realised that his skin was peeling off and discovered that he had suffered severe burns.
The court heard that Khumalo found the bedroom door locked and was forced to escape through a window. He made his way to his mother's home, where he reported the attack before collapsing unconscious. He later regained consciousness at St Luke's Hospital, where he was treated for his injuries.
Sithamela Ngwenya was convicted of physical abuse after pleading guilty before Bulawayo provincial magistrate Isheunesu Mathoba. She was initially sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with two years suspended for five years on condition that she does not commit a similar offence, leaving her to serve an effective three-year jail term.
The court heard that Ngwenya attacked her partner, Handsome Khumalo of Lupane, after he told her he intended to return to his wife.
In passing sentence, Magistrate Mathoba strongly condemned Ngwenya's actions, describing the attack as premeditated and motivated by jealousy.
"What you did is very bad, and it shows that you are an evil person. You wanted to kill your lover because he had told you that he wanted to return to his wife," the magistrate said.
He added that a custodial sentence was necessary to punish the offender and deter others from committing similar crimes.
During mitigation, Ngwenya expressed remorse and apologised to Khumalo, telling the court that she still loved him.
"I am really sorry to my lover. I committed this offence because I was angry that he had told me that he was returning to his wife after spending several months with me. I plead for leniency, Your Worship," she said.
Prosecutor Mabusiso Moyo told the court that the attack was carefully planned, with Ngwenya waiting until Khumalo had fallen asleep before carrying it out.
The incident occurred in the early hours of 5 July 2026. According to the State, Khumalo arrived home intoxicated shortly after 1 a.m. and found Ngwenya boiling water at the fireplace before he went to bed.
At around 4 a.m., he woke up in excruciating pain, feeling an intense burning sensation across his body while the room was filled with a foul smell.
As he attempted to scratch himself, he realised that his skin was peeling off and discovered that he had suffered severe burns.
The court heard that Khumalo found the bedroom door locked and was forced to escape through a window. He made his way to his mother's home, where he reported the attack before collapsing unconscious. He later regained consciousness at St Luke's Hospital, where he was treated for his injuries.
Source - The Chronicle
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