Witness recalls how woman was allegedly set on fire

Astaff member of Bargain Box (Fiji) Limited yesterday recalled in the High Court in Suva how she saw a man setting his wife on fire. The woman, Sheetal Devi, gave evidence as a prosecution witness in the case against Venktesh Premal Goundar, who is charged with one count of murder. Ms Devi said she could never forget Goundar’s face because of the horrifying thing he allegedly did, adding that she knew the woman (now deceased) because she had worked with her at Bargain Box.

On the day of the alleged incident she said she was inside the shop when she saw a man and a woman enter the shop and walk towards her.

Ms Devi said she overheard the man asking the woman why she could not go and stay at his place after which the man questioned the woman if she was having an affair. She then saw Goundar allegedly take out a bottle from under his Tee-shirt, which was wrapped in newspaper, and pour something on his hand before rubbing it on the woman’s back and behind her head. Ms Devi said at that point the woman asked Goundar what he was doing but he had already taken out a gas lighter and allegedly set her on fire.

Ms Devi also said Goundar’s hands caught fire too after the woman grabbed him while she was on fire. She said the woman was on fire for about 15 minutes. The court heard that the witness went to the wash tub, got some water and poured it on the woman. The witness said the woman told her that the man who allegedly set her on fire was her husband. The alleged incident happened in April, 2015.

The trial continues before Justice Salesi Temo.