An 84-year-old Karoi man burnt down a hut in which his ex-wife and her 21-month-old grandchild were sleeping, killing the two. Alfred Samalani was last week jailed 10 years after he was convicted of the murder of Rugare Kahlamezi and her grandchild. He committed the heinous crime while trying to stop her from having sexual intercourse with her new lover.
The incident occurred on August 20 last year when Samalani, of Hilltop Farm, Karoi visited is ex-wife’s residence and found her with one Vimbai Charumbira.
The court heard that when Samalani doused the hut with petrol and set it alight, Charumbira managed to escape by forcing the door open, but Kahlamezi (40) and her grandchild were not so lucky as they both died in the inferno.
High Court judge Amie Tsanga said Samalani’s warned and cautioned statement clearly showed that the crime was premeditated and wilful. — GIFT NJIRISI
