A gunman from the Central Ammunition Depot in Zvimba burnt his wife with petrol for refusal to run away with him to Mzansi after he stole $840 from his wife’s boss. Tapiwa Shonhiwa (28) was brought to Harare magistrate Mr Noel Mupeiwa to answers cases of theft and attempted murder.
Allegations say August 1 at approximately 4pm, Shonhiwa’s wife, Pretty Langton, was at a bottle shop where she works as a cashier at Zimbiru Business Centre, under the Chiefship of Chinamhora.
She was with Shonhiwa and a workmate, Calleen Gotora. Its said that Shonhiwa stole a crate of Black Label quarts and was spotted by Gotora. He wascaught while trying to escape with the beer via back door.
Shonhiwa threatened to kill h before he himself managed to steal $840 from the shop. He later went home and demanded his uniform from his wife. his wife refused to open the door demanding the money back.
Shonhiwa pretended to have the money but his wife refused to open the door. He threatened to lob a petrol bomb into the house but still Langton would not open the door. After a while Shonhiwa threw an object suspected to be a petrol bomb through his wife’s bedroom window, starting a blaze.
People managed to put out the fire and Langton went to Zimbiru Police Base to report the matter. After the offence Shonhiwa fled to Harare. Police later picked up a container of Super Chibuku dripping with petrol near the broken window of Langton’s bedroom.
Property worthy $3 600 was destroyed in the fire. Two days later Shonhiwa started communicating with his wife, requesting her to steal $2 000 from her employer. He told her that he wanted to flee with her to South Africa. Langton informed the police, leading to Shonhiwa’s arrest. Prejudice was $4 551 and nothing was recovered.
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