A 44-year-old woman in Malawi has been sentenced to 14 years in prison with hard labour after setting her brother’s house on fire following a dispute over bamboo.
The Dedza First Grade Magistrate’s Court sentenced Catherine Silvester after she pleaded guilty to acts intended to cause grievous harm.
According to State Prosecutor Sergeant Martha Chingwalungwalu, the dispute started after Silvester’s brother cut bamboo from her garden without her permission.
Later that night, Silvester’s son confronted the victim over the issue.
Silvester then went to her brother’s house, shouted at him and used grass to set the house on fire while he was sleeping inside.
Her brother suffered burn injuries and later reported the incident to Dedza Police.
Silvester was arrested and taken to court.
During mitigation, she asked the court for forgiveness and a lighter sentence. She said she takes care of her children and her disabled husband.
However, the State argued that the offence was serious because the two are blood relatives and Silvester intentionally set the house on fire while her brother was sleeping.
Magistrate Anthony Banda said the incident could have been avoided and that a strong sentence was needed to discourage others from committing similar offences.
He sentenced Silvester, from Kamgulitse Village in Dedza District, to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour.
