Villagers capture arson suspect, hand him over to cops

HOURS after setting fire to a house which burned to the ground rendering a woman and her five children homeless on Wednesday, a man was chased by villagers who beat him mercilessly before hog-tying him and handing him over to the police. The suspect has since been charged with arson and is expected to appear before a San Fernando magistrate this morning. The homeless children are aged between nine months and six years.

Police said the case against the man revolved around him allegedly setting fire maliciously to the Ste Madeleine home of his alleged former spouse, Louisa James, after she refused to reconcile with him. After committing the act, the man was chased for two miles by enraged villagers into a bushy area, where he was caught. Neither James nor her five children were at their Cipero Railway Line home in Ste Madeleine when the fire started. The woman was at Ste Madeleine Police Station at the time, making a report to officers about her former lover, who broke into her home three weeks before, requesting that he be arrested. When James returned from the police station, she found her home reduced to a pile of smouldering rubble.

Villager Terry Hyacinth, 22, told Newsday that on Wednesday morning, the suspect was seen standing in front of James’  house, but James told him to leave. “We ran him out of the area,” Hyacinth said. Another villager said they saw the suspect pour gasolene in and around the house and set it ablaze. He then ran through some bushes at the back of the house. Hyacinth said police and soldiers searched the bushes, but did not find the man. However around 5 am yesterday, Hyacinth’s sister was on her way to work when she saw the suspect lingering in the area. “She get frighten and come back and tell me. A group of men from the village decided to go after the man,” Hyacinth recalled. James, who is now staying at the home of relatives, is appealing for help in rebuilding her home. The suspect is expected to appear in court today.