Mazowe man jailed for petrol attack on food vendor in US$1 change dispute

Mazowe man jailed for petrol attack on food vendor in US$1 change dispute
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A 32-year-old man from Jumbo Mine in Mazowe has been sentenced to an effective four years in prison after he doused a female food vendor with petrol and set her alight during an argument over change for a plate of sadza.

Kudakwashe Nyeverai was convicted of attempted murder by the Bindura Regional Magistrates’ Court. He was sentenced to five years in prison, with one year suspended on condition of good behaviour, leaving four years to be served.

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) said the attack took place on 27 March 2026 at about 11am in Chiweshe Village, Mazowe. The 25-year-old complainant was operating a food stall in the Chitungwiza Area of the village when Nyeverai approached and ordered a plate of sadza.

According to the NPAZ account, Nyeverai paid US$1 for the first serving. When he requested a second plate, the vendor asked him to pay upfront, leading to an argument over change which escalated.

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Prosecutors said Nyeverai then poured petrol from a two-litre container onto the woman’s head and face while she was cooking near an open fire. The victim immediately caught fire and suffered severe burns to her head and face. She was later examined and treated for her injuries.

In a statement, the NPAZ said: “The justice system will continue to firmly deal with violent offenders whose reckless actions place innocent lives at risk.”

Nyeverai has since begun serving his sentence at a local correctional facility.

The case has renewed local concern in Mazowe and wider Mashonaland Central about violence in marketplaces and around informal trading areas, with residents urging peaceful resolution of disputes and swift reporting of assaults to the police.

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