Essequibo labourer remanded for setting fire to elderly woman’s house

An Essequibo Coast labourer was on Thursday remanded to prison by Magistrate Esther Sam for setting fire to an elderly woman’s home.
Safraz Rafeek, 46, was not required to plead to the indictable charge for the offence of setting fire to a dwelling house committed on December 30, 2022.
The property belongs to 62-year-old Tewatty Nandalall of Lot 47 Jib Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast. Rafeek’s matter was called at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court.
The case has been adjourned until January 13 and was transferred to the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court.

Nandalall had told the Guyana Times that a relative had threatened to set her house on fire. She lived alone at the house and at the time of the fire, she was attending a religious function at Hampton Court when she received a message that her house was on fire.
The woman’s husband and her son passed away recently.
“My entire house is destroyed… everything inside is damaged…I don’t have a home anymore. I have to stay by my daughter for the time cause I don’t have anyone else to stay by. My husband and son passed away, and only me alone went living. I really need help getting back my house,” Nandalall has related.