George Sithole
A "jealous and possessive" man has been jailed for life for murdering a six-year-old girl who died in a Sussex house fire seven years ago.
George Sithole, 41, started the blaze which killed Dumo Sibanda after being upset that his relationship with a friend of her family had ended.
A judge at Lewes Crown Court said he would serve a minimum of 17 years.
Firefighters found Dumo unconscious in her bedroom in Crawley. She was pronounced dead at hospital.
The 41-year-old fled the UK that year to return to his native South Africa. He was extradited on 16 March this year.
In the hours and weeks before the fire, Sithole accused Siphenphile Mercy Mlalazi, known as Mercy, of cheating on him and bombarded her with calls and text messages, jurors heard.
After buying petrol and matches, he went straight to the semi-detached house in Banks Road, Pound Hill, where Ms Mlalazi was staying with Dumo's family.
Within minutes, flames engulfed the house, forcing Ms Mlalazi and Dumo's father Donald Sibanda to jump out of their separate bedroom windows at the front.
Six-year-old Dumo Sibanda died after the fire, despite paramedics' attempts to resuscitate her
After the fire had started, Mr Sibanda rushed into Dumo's room but could not find her because of the smoke.
Six-year-old Dumo Sibanda
He went back to his bedroom and jumped out, thinking he would then try to rescue his daughter from outside by climbing up to her window.
As the fire raged in the early hours of October 26 2004, Sithole stood outside the house and even sought to comfort the distraught Mr Sibanda.
A paramedic said Sithole looked "dumb-struck and wide-eyed but was not showing any emotion".
He denied starting the fire but jurors convicted him of murder after two hours of deliberation.
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