LOWVELD - A man, who killed his wife and later doused her body with petrol, also died in hospital under police guard.

The shocking incident took place at JB village near Tzaneen last Monday morning (April 1), at about 09:30. According to the spokesperson of the police in the Lowveld, Capt Moatshe Ngoepe, the man had been engaged in an argument with his wife before the incident.

The reason for the argument could not be established. During the argument the man lost his temper and struck the woman with a hard object on the head. She died on the spot. According to the police statement the man later doused the woman’s body with petrol and set her alight.

According to the statement the man also caught fire during the ordeal. In trying to extinguish the fire that was all over his body, the man started running around and later vanished in the surrounding bushes. He was later found lying in the bushes with severe wounds covering the body.

He was taken to hospital under police guard. According to the police statement the man died in hospital last Saturday. His identity could not be released as the police were still searching for his next of kin at the time of going to the press. The woman, however, was identified as Mrs Maryjane Monyela (36).

In another incident, the police arrested a 34-year-old taxi driver for killing his father-in-law. The incident took place at the Klara Trust last Sunday at about 18:30. According to the police statement the suspect proceeded to the deceased’s home on the evening of the incident.

He allegedly instructed the old man to depart from his house on the basis that the two always had some arguments over his wife (deceased’s daughter). During the argument the suspect produced a firearm and shot the deceased in the head, neck and on the back killing him instantly. The deceased was identified as Mr Ephraim Maloke (54). The suspect was still to appear in court at the time of going to the press.