A 49-year-old Odzi woman was burnt to death while her minor children are battling for life at Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital after her Mozambican ex-husband reportedly set fire on their two-roomed rented cottage.
The incident happened last Monday night at Nyamatsine Township in Odzi.
The suspected arsonist, George Chiringa, reportedly doused the cottage with an unknown flammable substance before setting it on fire.
Chiringa and the now-deceased Enia Mutemera were married and they were blessed with a child.
It is alleged that Mutemera together with her three children aged 16, 12, eight and her grandson retired to bed after locking their cottage from inside.
It is further alleged that Chiringa went, tied the door with a wire from outside before he poured an unknown flammable substance and set the house on fire.
Chiringa then disappeared. Neighbours who heard screams came to help, after helping the victims, they took them to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital for treatment. Mutemera died from the burns she sustained during the attack.
It is alleged that the late Mutemera had a number of domestic violence disputes which saw her being hospitalised after she sustained some injuries.
On September 23, Chiringa reportedly threatened to burn Mutemera and her children in the cottage since she was refusing to reconcile with him.
Mutare Criminal Investigations Department spokesperson, Detective Sergeant Coleen Mbato confirmed the incident to the Manica Post.