Infant (2) burnt to death

A TWO-YEAR-OLD infant was burnt to death in Mwenezi after his father, a suspected illegal petrol dealer, caused a fire which torched their hut when he was pouring fuel under candle-light.

Ivy Chademba of Flora Range Village 4 was burnt to ashes after his parents failed to rescue him from the inferno.

The parents escaped unhurt, leaving the infant at the mercy of the fire.

Masvingo police spokesperson Inspector Charity Mazula said the incident occurred last Sunday night.

She said the boy’s remains were taken to Neshuro District Hospital for a post-mortem.

Insp Mazula said the father, Mr Gift Chademba, allegedly poured the fuel while using a candle for lighting, and the house caught fire.

She said when tragedy struck, there were three people in the house, Mr Chademba, his unnamed wife and the deceased child.

“The father, whom we suspect is an illegal fuel dealer, was pouring petrol from one container into another besides a naked flame of a lit candle,” said Insp Mazula.

“The two parents rescued themselves, leaving their son in the house and he was burnt to ashes. The whole thatched bedroom hut was engulfed in flames, while all property in the house was destroyed,” said Insp Mazula.

She advised members of the public against storing fuel at home.

Trio nabbed for robbery THREE men have been arrested here for allegedly abducting and robbing a money changer of $3 550 at knifepoint.

Sindiso Moyo (29), Gerald Labison (23) and Enald Ndebele (25) all of Filabusi, were not asked to plead to a charge of robbery when they appeared before Beitbridge resident magistrate Mr Langton Mukwengi on Monday.

They were remanded in custody to Thursday next week for trial.

Prosecuting, Mr Oswell Arufandi said on December 12 at around 2pm, the trio went to Engen Service Station where they hatched a plan to steal from money changers. He said Moyo then approached an airtime vendor, Liberty Masunda, and told him they wanted to convert South African Rands into bond notes, amounting to $5 000.

He lured Masunda to a bus stop near the same service station where they would conclude the transaction.

Mr Arufandi said whilst at the bus stop, Labison and Ndebele arrived driving a Toyota Corolla in the company of Svodai Makuare. Moyo then agreed with Masunda to conduct the transaction in the vehicle since it involved a lot of money.