By State Media- An angry Bulawayo man has petrol-bombed his ex-lover’s lodgings after his girlfriend dumped him.

The incident occurred this weekend when screams woke up the landlord, Mr Clifford Nyathi, as his house was going down in flames after his tenant, Ms Sikhangezile Moyo’s former lover, only identified as Albert, had started a fire. Mr Nyathi told Sunday News that they suspected that Albert was irked by the termination of his relationship with Ms Moyo. 

“This morning (Saturday) at around 4.30am to 5am, I was awakened by the screams of two women who are my tenants, a mother and her daughter. They said there was fire at their door and the smoke had engulfed the place. The fire was coming from outside and as we attempted to pour water to put out the fire, it only got worse. 

“Albert who had started the fire outside, kept on pouring a certain liquid, which we believe was fuel, possibly petrol. We did not know who it was until Ms Moyo peeped through the window and saw that it was his ex-lover,” he said. 

He said Albert had used plastics and clothes that he took from a neighbour’s house, as well as theirs that were on the washing line outside and set them on fire on his door. 

Mr Nyathi said they believe the motive of Albert’s action was to try and make those in the house respond and open the door for him. 

“We did not open the door and that is why he ended up throwing it just in front of the door. From what he left behind, I have evidence that it was some kind of petrol bomb as I picked it up from where he threw it, it did not burn completely,” he said. 

Mr Nyathi said the fire was successfully extinguished by neighbours, who quickly responded to the scene as the screams continued.

Mr Nyathi, said Albert had previous violent incidents with Ms Moyo, while earlier this month he vandalised his property, breaking windows and doors as well as trying to violently attack his tenant with a machete.

“Albert has a criminal history, as he has been incarcerated multiple times, serving a five-year sentence for cattle rustling in the rural areas. We reported the matter to the police, however, his whereabouts are unknown as he ran away when the neighbours came to intervene,” he said.

He said he made a report to the police although they could not be reached for a comment. 

-Sunday News