Jilted man burns $7 000 property

By Yemurai Ushamba

A 50-YEAR-OLD Bulawayo man has appeared in court for allegedly setting his room on fire and damaging property worth $7 000 after his live-in girlfriend ditched him.

A court heard that Connell Sibanda of Nkulumane suburb allegedly opened a gas cylinder and set his room alight while he was inside after his girlfriend Siboniso Dube (59) told him they should part ways.

The court heard that Sibanda, who is unemployed, and Dube lived together in her house.

Sibanda pleaded guilty to malicious damage of property before Western Commonage Magistrate Mr Lungile Ncube who remanded him in custody.

“She told me she no longer wanted me and this broke my heart because I still love her. I discovered she was having an affair with one Titus and this broke my heart. She is a graduate and she is leaving me for a man who is young enough to be her son. I want to apologise to her so that she takes me back,” said Sibanda.

Prosecuting, Mr Kenneth Shava said on August 2 at around 4AM Dube got out of her room and was suspicious when she heard a sound from Sibanda’s room.

“Dube became suspicious and tried to open the bedroom door which was locked. She went to the window and found her property burning,” he said.

The court heard that Dube was assisted by neighbours to break the window and they managed to rescue Sibanda.

The ceiling, roof, chest of drawers and the table were damaged.

The total value of property damaged was $7 000. The Chronicle.