Police in Mponela, Dowa have arrested a primary school teacher Identified as Sungeni Kalonga, 32, for setting on fire his fellow teacher’s house on allegations that the victim was sleeping with his (Kalonga’s) wife.
Mponela police publicist sergeant Macpatson Msadala has confirmed and said that Kalonga committed the offence on June 29, 2021 at around 07:30 hours in the morning.
It is reported that during this day, the victim was sleeping when he heard a knock at the door of his house.
The victim did not open the door because he was afraid as the visitors kept threatening that they would break into the house if he did not open. One of the visitors was also accusing the victim of being in an affair with his wife.
After some few minutes, the visitors broke the main door of the house and two men entered. The house owner started running away but he noticed that one of the suspects was his workmate and that the two intruders had knives in their hands.
Msadala said: “After running for a distance of about 50 metres, he saw smoke coming from his house but he was afraid to go back to the house.”
The victim told police that the fire damaged all beddings and clothes belonging to members of the family, 33 bags of maize, kitchen utensils, solar panel and K515 000 cash which he made after selling tobacco, all amounting to K1 500 000.
The suspect will appear before court soon to answer charges of arson which contravenes section 337 of the penal code after investigations.
Sungeni Kalonga who is based at Kabwinja Primary School, comes from Chilolo in the area of Traditional Authority Chakhaza in Dowa District.
