Woman slapped with 6 years jail sentence for scalding a man over debt

A 26-year-old woman Fanny Thom, who hails from Mchenga Village, Traditional Authority Mbawela in Thyolo District, has been sentenced to 6-years imprisonment with hard labour for dousing Masonzi Nachongwe, 28, with hot water due to misunderstandings over debt at Linguwe Village Traditional Authority Katuli in the district.

Mangochi Police Station Public Relations, Amina Tepani Daudi has confirmed saying that the judgement was passed on September 7th, 2022 by Mangochi Senior Resident Magistrate Court.

According to Daudi, state prosecutor Ezekiel Kalunga told the court that, the victim in the afternoon of August 12th, 2022 went to collect debt from his friend who happened to be the convict’s neighbour unfortunately he did not find him at home.

“The victim requested the convict to deliver the message on his behalf once her neighbour return home, a thing which angered the convict to the extent that the two picked a quarrel where in the heat of the argument, Fanny took a pot of hot water from the fire and poured it onto the back of the victim,” Daudi said.

She further explained that the victim was rushed to Ngapani Health Center where he was referred to Mangochi District Hospital before being further referred to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre where he was admitted for three weeks due to severe burns.

“Fanny pleaded guilty in mitigation but asked for leniency and apologized for her actions before saying that her kids would suffer if sent to jail but prosecutor Kalunga, in his submission reminded the court that the victim went through hell and his life was at risk because of the convict’s cruel behaviour,” she added.

She added that Kalunga told the court that it was strange that human rights organizations are silent on the matter but if the perpetrator was a man they would have made loudest noises to condemn the act hence prayed for a stiffer sentence which Senior Resident Magistrate Rodrick Michongwe concurred with while passing judgement hence the 6-year sentence to serve as a lesson to other woman.