Man accused of burning girlfriend off the hook

Home Crime and Courts Man accused of burning girlfriend off the hook

Tunomukwathi Asino

WINDHOEK – Lazarus Munganga (39) who allegedly burnt his girlfriend Albertina Majunda’s private parts last year at Agste Laan informal settlement in Windhoek was discharged on Thursday in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court.

Magistrate George Mbundu, who presided, found the medical certificate received by the court indicated that apart from septic burns on the anal, genital and medial areas of the thighs, there was no mention of any injuries on the back or legs as claimed.

“Furthermore if the complainant was really in fear of further injury by the accused person when, as per her evidence, stopped screaming while being assaulted by him, she should have escaped and alerted neighbours or the police when the accused person left her alone to go and buy cigarettes or when he went to work the day after the incident,” he ruled.

New Era broke the story about Munganga allegedly beating his girlfriend Majunda with a broom all over her body on January 28 last year in a fit of jealous rage. Munganga then allegedly set some plastic bags alight and started burning her private parts, buttocks and feet.

Munganga accused his girlfriend for “cheating” on him.

“What began as a jolly evening punctuated by the drinking of wine, turned to horror when Munganga turned violent minutes after they had sex. Out of jealousy the boyfriend accused her of cheating on him,” a source told New Era last year.

Munganga vehemently denied all the charges when he testified in his own defence without calling any witnesses.

He said on January 28 2012 after knocking off, he met his girlfriend at a neighbour’s house and went home with her.

In the shack he saw a ‘gel stove’ and he decided to show his girlfriend how it worked.

He testified further that he was simply trying to show his girlfriend how the stove worked when the hot gel from the stove burned his hands causing him to drop the hot substance on her thighs around her genital area where the same trickled to her buttocks instantly burning her.

Anthony Wilson represented the State.