The normally quiet community of Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe, was left in shock after a family dispute spiraled into an act of arson, destroying both a house and a car.
The case, which captured local attention, recently concluded at the Chinhoyi Magistrates’ Court. Knowledge Jani, a 21-year-old from Shackleton Mine, was sentenced to four years in prison, with one year suspended, after being convicted of malicious property damage.
The incident took place on April 22, 2024, following a heated argument at his father’s home.
During the altercation, Jani accused his father and stepmother of witchcraft, believing they were responsible for his illness. In a fit of rage, he shattered the windows of his father’s Nissan Sunny and severely damaged the vehicle.
Jani then siphoned fuel from the car and set his father’s house ablaze, before also torching the already damaged vehicle.
The fire caused extensive damage, with losses estimated at USD 14,000. Although emergency services managed to extinguish the flames, the property had already suffered significant destruction. Jani was arrested at the scene following a distress call from his father.
The court’s decision, closely watched by both the community and the affected family, resulted in Jani receiving a four-year sentence, with one year suspended on the condition he does not commit a similar offense during that time, leaving him to serve an effective three years in prison.
