Pregnant teen sets self ablaze over married boyfriend

Sifundiso Ndlovu Chronicle Reporter A PREGNANT teenager from Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park suburb died after dousing her body with paraffin befo...

Sifundiso Ndlovu Chronicle Reporter

A PREGNANT teenager from Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park suburb died after dousing her body with paraffin before setting herself on fire at her married boyfriend’s house.
Memory Dube, 17, a domestic worker, was rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital on Thursday where she died shortly due to severe burns, neighbours said.They said Dube “lost it” when she found out that her boyfriend had lied to her about his marital status.

The neighbours said she then confronted him, demanding that he choose between her or his wife and when he refused, she set herself alight.

A Chronicle news crew visited the house yesterday and found no one with neighbours saying the family left for Gutu, Masvingo province, to bury the teenager on Saturday.

“We’re shocked as residents. This girl was pregnant and it appears her boyfriend did not tell her he was married,” said Sikhumbuzo Moyo, a neighbour. Only last week the boyfriend’s wife came to town and the girl confronted the couple. We understand the boyfriend refused responsibility for the pregnancy and this could have forced the girl to commit suicide.”

It is understood the boyfriend, identified as Byron Dube, 35, refused to leave his wife and this angered the girl.

Another neighbour said, “Memory wrapped herself in plastic before she doused her body with paraffin and set herself on fire.”

In telephone interview from her rural home in Lupane, Byron’s wife of two years, Beatrice Ndlovu, confirmed the incident but said she was not aware the girl had died.

She said she came to Bulawayo on Wednesday last week and the following day Memory came to their home demanding that her husband choose between them.

“Memory came drenched in paraffin and demanded that Byron should leave me for her threatening that she would set herself on fire if he left her,” Ndlovu said.

“Byron took her to a police officer who lives nearby but she fled from the police officer and set herself on fire in full view of members of the public on the street. She ran back to our house in a ball of fire.”

Ndlovu said they were shocked when the girl, in flames, got into the house screaming resulting in some property catching fire.

“We scrambled all over trying to put out the fire as our bed and clothes were also in flames. After putting out the flames with water we took her to Mpilo Hospital,” she said. “We left her there and from that time I separated with Byron and went back to my rural home in Lupane as I could not understand what was happening.”

Byron could not be reached for comment and neighbours suspect he could have fled for fear of arrest.

“We’ve not seen Byron in this house since that incident. We’ve tried to call him and his phones are not reachable,” said another neighbour.

Acting Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Abednico Ncube could not be drawn to comment saying he was in a meeting.

- Advertisement -

Disclaimer: The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only.

The information is provided by PaHarare Exptreme using online sources and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose.

Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.

- Advertisement -