Source: Woman scalds lover with boiling water over break-up, apologises in court – herald
Danisa Masuku, Danimasuku4455@gmail.com
A MAN from Lupane district, Matabeleland North, who arrived home heavily intoxicated and went to sleep woke up in agony to find his skin peeling off his body after his partner poured boiling water over him while he slept.
Sithamela Ngwenya, from Insuza area, was last Friday convicted on her own plea of guilty to physical abuse by Bulawayo Provincial Magistrate Mr Isheunesu Mathoba.
She was sentenced to five years imprisonment but will serve an effective three years after two years of the sentence were suspended on condition that she does not within the next five years commit a similar offence.
Passing sentence, Mr Mathoba described Ngwenya as an evil person who wanted to kill her lover.
“What you did is very bad and it shows that you are an evil person. You wanted to kill your lover because he had told you that he wanted to return to his wife,” said Mr Mathoba.
He said Ngwenya deserved to be removed from society for a long time in order to send a message to would be offenders.
In mitigation, Ngwenya who said she still loved the complainant, apologised to him in court.
“I am really sorry to my lover. I committed this offence because I was angry that he had told me that he was returning to his wife after spending several months with me. I plead for leniency, Your Worship,” she said.
In aggravation, prosecutor Ms Mabusiso Moyo said Ngwenya breached her lover’s trust by scalding him with boling water while he was asleep.
“The complainant arrived home heavily drunk and trusted that he was safe in your company but you betrayed him and boiled water before scalding him while he was asleep,” she said.
Ms Moyo said Ngwenya planned to commit the offence and waited until her lover went to sleep and then pounced.
Ms Moyo told the court that the incident occurred on 5 July 2026 shortly after 1am.
“The complainant, Mr Handsome Khumalo, arrived home intoxicated and found Ngwenya at the fireplace boiling some water. He headed to the bedroom and slept,” said Ms Moyo.
At around 4am, the complainant woke up to find his body in severe pain, itching, and the room filled with a foul smell.
“As he tried to scratch his body, he discovered that his skin was peeling off, thus realising he was burnt. He tried to open the door but discovered that it was locked, and he got out through the window,” said Ms Moyo.
After escaping, he went home and narrated his ordeal to his mother. The court heard that soon after that, he fell unconscious and later woke up hospitalised at St Luke’s Hospital.
