A CHITUNGWIZA man who could not stomach that it was over between him and his girlfriend after he was served with protection order summons poured petrol on her and her house with the intention of killing her.
VIMBAI MARUFU
John Chari, who was co-habiting with his girlfriend at her place of residence in Unit A , Seke, pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder when he appeared before Chitungwiza magistrate Musaiona Shotgame on Thursday.
In his defence, Chari denied the allegations and said on the day in question he had found some ARVs in the house belonging to his girlfriend Nancy Chiri and an altercation arose after he confronted her about the tablets.
“We have been together for the past 13 years and there was no secret between us. But I discovered some ARVs and a heated argument arose between us when I questioned her why she has never told me that she was on ARVs,” he said in court.
Before the accused person was arrested, the complainant had filed papers at the Chitungwiza Civil court through her lawyer Phillip Hamunakwadi of Mugiya and Macharaga Law Chambers seeking a protection order from Chari.
In her papers Chiri said Chari was refusing to leave her house and has threatened to physically harm her.
“On September 3, he was very drunk and became violent to the extent that he produced an axe with which he intended to strike me and our maid came to my rescue and disarmed him,” she said.
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“Respondent has developed a suicidal disposition and is threatening to kill me then take his own life if I refuse to reconcile with him.”
Chiri said their relationship ended in 2012, but only accommodated him in February this year after he was released from jail after serving a 30 months sentence for extortion and had nowhere else to go.
Prosecutor Norman Koropi told the court that on September 5, at around 1700 hours, the complainant was advised by her maid that she had seen Chari at a distance drinking some brandy.
After a few minutes, the accused person who slept on the sofa knocked on the complainant’s bedroom.
Chari entered the bedroom and was holding a five-litre container filled with petrol and he poured it on the complainant and in all their rooms threatening to kill her and burn down the house.
The court heard that the accused also drank some poison and the complaint managed to escape and a police report was made leading to his arrest.
Chari also has a pending hearing at the civil court on September 17.
