Horrific petrol attack victim dies

murder

Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
ONE of the two women who were burnt last Friday by a jilted lover after he poured petrol into a room in which they were sleeping and set it alight has succumbed to the burns she suffered in the horrific attack.

Ms Nancy Sibanda died at Harare’s Parirenyatwa Hospital from injuries she sustained following the attack at a house she lived in with her cousin Ms Cynthia Hlabangana, who was their attacker, Garikayi Zvamada Tabaringa’s girlfriend.

Tabaringa (43) of Ascot suburb allegedly broke a window and used petrol to set on fire the room the two women were sleeping in at around 2AM last Friday .

The man was allegedly suspecting that his ex-girlfriend, Ms Hlabangana, was having sex with an unnamed boyfriend in the house.

Neighbours said they heard him shouting that he was going to kill his “slut” around midnight last Friday.

However, it has since been established that contrary to earlier reports that Ms Hlabangana was with another boyfriend at the time of the attack, she was with her cousin who is also battling for her life at Parirenyatwa Hospital.

It also emerged that Tabaringa did not use petrol bombs, but poured nine litres of petrol into the room and set it on fire.

The Chronicle visited a house belonging to the burnt women’s relatives in Ascot suburb who confirmed Ms Sibanda’s death.

A relative who identified herself only as MaKhumalo said Ms Sibanda died on Sunday.

“Nancy died yesterday (Sunday) and as you can see we are making arrangements as a family so that her body can be collected from Harare,” she said.

She said Ms Sibanda was expected to be buried in Chiwundura. The relative said they were still trying to come to grips with her death.

Tabaringa and an alleged accomplice Itai Manyoka (34) both of Ascot suburb appeared before Gweru magistrate Mr Shotgame Musaiwona on Saturday, a day after the attack, facing one count of attempted murder each. The charge is likely to be altered following the death of one of their victims.

Allegations are that last Friday at around 2AM, the two connived and went to their victims’ house.

They allegedly used petrol to commit the crime.

The court heard that the accused allegedly drove to a petroleum service station in Gweru where they bought nine litres of petrol.

They then allegedly proceeded to house number 343 Fusire Road in Ascot suburb where Ms Hlabangana and the now deceased lived.

Tabaringa allegedly took two plastic containers with five and four litres of petrol each and broke the window to the room where the complainants were sleeping.

He allegedly poured the fuel into the room shouting that he wanted to kill the complainants before setting the room on fire using a match stick.

Tabaringa then ran to the gate where Manyoka had parked his vehicle before the two sped off.

The complainants who sustained serious burns were rushed to Gweru Provincial Hospital but were immediately transferred to Parirenyatwa Hospital.

@pchitumba

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