Marange Man Jailed After US$10,000 Property Blaze Over Orange Orchard Dispute
A disagreement over unripe oranges has resulted in a 26-month jail sentence for a Marange man who went on to destroy his employer’s property in a retaliatory attack.
The 32-year-old appeared before the Mutare Magistrates’ Court and was convicted of malicious damage to property after setting fire to two buildings belonging to a 64-year-old woman who employed him as a domestic worker.
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Argument Over Orchard Turns Into Destructive Attack
The court heard that the incident happened on 27 June 2026 at Chindoti Village in the Marange area.
The man allegedly became furious after being confronted by his employer over his habit of eating unripe oranges from her orchard. Instead of complying with the instruction, he reacted by setting fire to structures on the property.
He first torched a thatched kitchen hut before moving to another building on the premises, a two-roomed house, which he also set alight.
Armed Threats Left Property Defenceless
During the incident, the man allegedly grabbed an axe and threatened to harm anyone who tried to intervene or put out the flames.
The threats prevented people from immediately stopping the fire, resulting in the destruction of both buildings and goods stored inside.
Household and Farming Supplies Destroyed
The blaze wiped out a range of valuable items, including maize, groundnuts, round nuts, rapoko, fertiliser, cement and groceries.
The damaged property was valued at US$10,193, according to the court.
Court Suspends Part of Sentence
The court initially handed down a 36-month prison term. However, 10 months were suspended on condition that the accused compensates the complainant for the full value of the destroyed property.
He will serve an effective 26 months behind bars if the restitution condition is not fulfilled.
The post Domestic Worker Burns Down Employer’s Property After Being Told to Stop Eating Unripe Oranges appeared first on iHarare News.
