TERRIBLE things are happening around the world. Recently, we had occasion to deplore the extremely bizarre, heartbreaking incident wherein one Kundlik Uttam Kale, 32, set his wife ablaze after she gave birth to their third daughter in the Maharashtra’s Parbhani district of India. The accused, who had a history of taunting his wife, Maina, over the fact that she had given birth to three daughters, poured petrol on her and set her ablaze after an argument. Sadly, the image of a hapless married woman running out of the house screaming as people tried to douse the fire was recreated in Anambra State, where another murderous husband allegedly set his wife, one Mrs Chioma Nwaka, ablaze following a disagreement. The wife, who sustained severe burns, was rushed to hospital, but unfortunately died from her injuries.
A horrendous short video on social media showed the mother of six wriggling on the ground with severe burns and cursing her husband for his actions. The man had reportedly accused his wife of being wayward and flirting with other men, an allegation that sparked off an argument between them. As the argument became intense, the suspect poured fuel on her, setting her ablaze. Confirming the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said: “We are aware of the matter, but it is sad to announce to you that the woman just died this morning while receiving medical attention. Her husband has also been arrested and investigation has commenced.”
This story is distressing. A woman lies in the grave at the moment following a dispute with her husband, and she will never be able to tell her own side of the story. To be sure, we view extramarital relations in extremely negative light, and affirm that it would have been extremely wrong of the victim in this case to have indulged in them, assuming that the story about her alleged infidelity is true. It is a fact that many marriages have been dogged by extramarital affairs for years, and that there are reasons for believing that things have got worse in recent years, but it is equally important to note that what has been suggested in this sad story is a mere allegation that has not been substantiated with any evidence, at least with reference to public knowledge. Allegations may be true or false, but those making them undermine their own story when they engage in violent action to punish their alleged offenders, giving no room for the options provided by the laws of the land for resolving disputes. We are not suggesting that an allegation is false simply because someone chose to give expression to their grievance in a patently illegal manner; what we are saying is that those who take the law into their own hands and murder their alleged offenders have shown great contempt for the law and due process, acting as a judge in their own case, and must be treated like the criminals that they are.
In the case of the suspect in this case, he has already done the worst he can to the woman he presumably took as a wife, and has given no space for the authenticity or falsity of his allegations to be established. It would be illogical, if not insane, to assume that an allegation is true simply because the accuser chose to punish the alleged offender in a most egregious way. There is a reason why presumption of innocence is a cornerstone of the justice system: it is, among others, meant to prevent those who believe that might is right from using the law as a cudgel to cut down their opponents. No one has the right to take the life of another person for any reason. Now that the suspect in this case has killed his wife, are his problems solved? Has he proven his case? As a father, has he shown his children how to handle marital matters? Did he ever even think of them and the precarious situation in which his actions would put them? Regardless of the provocation, it is always advisable to avoid precipitate, violent reactions. Even if the victim in this case had been guilty as charged, there would have been no justification whatsoever for setting her on fire. That was an extremely callous action that should be met with the full recompense provided by the law.
People who take the law into their own hands have no respect for the law, nor even for themselves. They are criminals. The government should ensure that they have no opportunity to continue perpetrating their crime. As we have said time and again, crime festers in the society where there are no consequences. We urge the Anambra State government to take an active interest in this case and use it to send a signal to lawbreakers that it will not condone lawlessness in any form. May the soul of the deceased rest in sweet repose.
