In a classic scenario of jumping from a frying pan onto the fire, a border jumping Zimbabwean girl landed on the wrong side of the law for allegedly setting two houses on fire.

Kelly Sivarai, who illegally crossed the border into Botswana near Ramokgwebana border post found herself in hot soup after setting ablaze two thatched houses at Tonota village.

Sivarai was subsequently charged with two counts of arson and in addition, she is also facing a single count of entering Botswana through an ungazetted point contrary to the country’s Immigration Act.

It is alleged that between November 28 and 29, at Manyanda ward- the teenage girl burnt two thatched houses belonging to Lucia Masindu and Tendai Kaira respectively.

According to court papers, in both incidents the accused person torched the houses with intent to endanger lives.

At the time of torching the houses, the court heard, the accused person knew that the owners were inside the thatched houses.

It is said the accused person was retaliating to the assaults perpetrated on her after she had stolen a P200 note from Masindu’s wallet. For the theft act, it is said that Masindu and Kaira chastised the accused person, the court heard.

During her initial court appearance before Francistown Chief Magistrate, Gaedupe Makgato, on Monday, Sivarai had her plea to the allegations reserved as investigations into the incident that destroyed goods worth over P30 000, were still at infancy.

State prosecutor, Inspector Faniso Herbert Manyepedza, told the court that some of the burnt goods included a gas stove, double bed, two couches, blankets, pairs of shoes and several clothing items.

“Investigations have just started. We pray that the accused person be remanded in custody,” supplicated Manyepedza, adding that the accused person is a Zimbabwean national who does not have any traveling documents.

Manyepedza expressed fear that the accused person was a flight risk and might skip the country if granted bail. The Voice