A 22-year-old man is in police custody after he burnt the house of his girlfriend who rejected his marriage proposal in favor of continuing her education at Simambumbu Village in Petauke District.
Eastern Province Police Commanding Officer Robertson Mweemba has confirmed to Diamond News that the incident, which occurred on the night of February 3rd, targeted a house where three children slept.
The suspect, Portipher Phiri, is alleged to have set the thatched home ablaze using a burning stick.
The house was occupied by his 18-year-old former girlfriend Labya Mwenda, her 15-year-old sister, and his own one-year-old son.
Tensions escalated earlier in the evening when Phiri confronted Mwenda at her bedroom window, demanding entry and threatening violence if she did not comply. After being ordered away by the children’s mother, Grace Mwanza, Phiri reportedly returned an hour later.
The family was alerted by screams as flames engulfed the roof. Villagers discovered the home’s door chained shut from the outside. They managed to break in, rescue the three victims, and extinguish the fire, but the house was completely destroyed.
He was subsequently apprehended and put into custody.
By Samuel Khwawe.
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