Gweru Man Burns Down Two Houses Over Bar Joke


Nkosentsha Khumalo

In Gweru, a local bar became the unlikely setting for a revenge plot that ultimately led to arson, assault, and the destruction of two houses.

According to Police reports, a patron at a bar took offense to a joke made at his expense, resulting in him setting fire to the home of the person who made the joke.

The ensuing fire blaze then spread to the neighboring property, causing extensive damage to both homes.

Authorities arrested the man shortly after the incident, charging him with assault and two counts of malicious damage to property.

In a ruling by the Gweru Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, Joseph McCarthy, a 46-year-old Gweru resident, was handed a 10-year prison sentence for his role in a violent revenge incident that resulted in two houses being set on fire.

McCarthy’s sentencing marks the culmination of a case that has left residents shaken and authorities determined to prevent such devastating acts of vengeance in the future.

Court documents released by the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPA) indicate that on April 17, 2024, the accused individual, a 46 -Year Old Joseph McCarthy, and Rodrek Munyanyiwa, brother of the complainant, were drinking beer while socializing at Woodlands Shops in Gweru.

During their interaction, Rodrek made a joke which did not go down well with the accused person, striking a raw nerve which triggered a wave of deep-seated resentment.

The specific nature of the joke has not been revealed by the Courts, but the ensuing events demonstrate how a seemingly innocuous jest can have catastrophic consequences when met with an explosive temper.

After the verbal altercation at the bar, following the ill-fated joke, Rodrek took his leave and returned home.

Meanwhile, the acrimonious encounter continued to simmer in Joseph McCarthy’s mind, refusing to be easily extinguished.

Fueled by his burning resentment, McCarthy also abandoned the bar in pursuit of Rodrek, intending to seek retribution.

Arriving at Munyaradzi Munyanyiwa’s residence in search of his antagonist, McCarthy was met with the frustrating realization that Rodrek was not there.

Enraged by his failed pursuit and the continued absence of his intended target, McCarthy turned his ire onto Munyaradzi, lashing out with a vicious blow that left his adversary with a significant eye injury.

Munyaradzi, seizing the opportunity afforded by McCarthy’s distraction, fled the scene, escaping the onslaught and the confines of his own home.

Undeterred by his target’s escape, McCarthy’s fury persisted, setting ablaze Munyaradzi’s blankets and engulfing the room in flames, leaving nothing but charred remnants in its wake.

The destructive blaze, emboldened by its initial kindling, refused to be contained, leaping from Munyaradzi’s room to the neighboring residence of Rebecca Nyathi.

The flames, now free from their initial confines, rampaged through Nyathi’s 13-roomed house, reducing it to smoldering ashes.

Joseph McCarthy, his thirst for vengeance sated but recognizing the gravity of his actions, fled the scene. In a fleeting moment of clarity or perhaps a subconscious desire to confess, he passed through Woodlands Phase 1 shops, confiding to a nearby security guard the full extent of his destructive deeds.

Following the incident, Munyaradzi Munyanyiwa and his neighbors apprehended the perpetrator, Joseph McCarthy, and handed him over to the police.

The total value of the damaged property, caused by the fire, was estimated to be US$22,415.

After evaluating the evidence and considering the gravity of the crimes committed, the Court handed down a sentence of 10 years imprisonment with 3 years suspended under the condition of good behavior.

Furthermore, the court stipulated that 4 years of the sentence would be suspended on the condition of restitution of US$21,000 to Rebecca Nyathi, and 1 year suspended on the condition of restitution of US$755 to Munyaradzi Munyanyiwa.

As a result, Joseph McCarthy will serve 2 years of his sentence in prison.

Zim GBC News©2024

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