Labourer remanded for burning down mother-in-law’s house

Jan 07, 2023 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Kaieteur News – Safraz Rafeek, a 46-year-old labourer of Jib, Essequibo Coast, Region Two was on Friday remanded to prison after being charged with the Offence of Setting Fire to Dwelling House.

Reports are that on December 30, 2022 at Job Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast, Rafeek set fire to the home of his mother-in-law, 62-year-old Tewatty Nandalal.

Safraz Rafeek

At his first court appearance at the Suddie Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Esther Sam, Rafeek was not required to enter a plea after the charge was read to him.

Taking the gravity of the offence into consideration along with the safety of the victim, Magistrate Sam remanded Rafeek to prison until January 18, 2023 when he is expected to appear at the Anna Regina Magistrates’ Court for reports.

Meanwhile, according to an eyewitness, Rafeek planned to burn down his mother-in-law’s house. The 21-year-old witness told investigators that the labourer told him that he was going to commit the act. The witness said that Rafeek broke the lock to Nandalall’s home, poured gasoline within its interior and then set the house on fire before making good his escape.

Kaieteur News understands that Rafeek and his wife had reportedly separated almost a year ago and according to the woman, since the couple separated, Rafeek constantly threatened to kill her and burn down her mother’s house.

“Me and he separate like about a year now, and me move to town to work but he still use to threatened to kill me. So right now, I gotta continue in hiding. He threatened me mommy that he gon bun she house down because me na go back by he. He threatens to kill he own daughter and son-in-law and grandson that he gon kill them,” the woman said.

The woman explained that at the time of the fire, her mother was at a religious function.

“When he bun down the house, me mother went at a Jhandi. So the last time she lock up the Thursday afternoon and gone to the Jhandi house. When she get the news, she pressure gone up right away and up to now, it can’t come down back.”