The normally peaceful village of Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe was shocked to learn that a heated family argument had resulted in a destructive act of arson that destroyed a car and a house.
The Chinhoyi Magistrates’ Court has rendered a ruling on the incident that has garnered significant attention.
Understanding Knowledge Jani, a 21-year-old Shackleton Mine resident, was found guilty of causing malicious property damage and given a sentence of four years in jail, with one year suspended. On April 22, 2024, he had a violent outburst after an intense disagreement at his father’s house got out of hand.
Anger boiling, Jani declared that his continuous sickness was the result of his father and stepmother being witches. Furious, Jani crashed into his father’s Nissan Sunny, smashing windows and causing major external damage. After taking petrol out of the automobile and using it to light his father’s house on fire, he proceeded to ignite the already damaged car.
The fire caused significant damage, with losses estimated to be $14,000 USD. Firefighters managed to put out the fire, but not before causing extensive damage to the property. When Jani’s father called in a distress, authorities took him into custody right away.
The community and the impacted family eagerly anticipated the court’s decision, which resulted in Jani being sentenced to four years in jail, with one year suspended provided he does not commit a similar crime during that period.
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