Man charged with arson

by Michael Johnson

One man has been charged for arson following last Friday’s midday fire.

Carlos Webb, a 38-year-old a farmer of Mt. Pleasant was arrested and charged for, without lawful excuse, destroying two wooden dwelling houses in the Mt. Pleasant, Marriaqua community.{{more}}

The preliminary inquiry into the matter was held at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court last Tuesday before Senior Magistrate Carl Joseph. The court heard that on Friday, April 29, 2005, at approximately 12 p.m., Webb entered the premises of Patricia Miller, a 40-year-old domestic of Mt. Pleasant, and of Monica Dasent, a 43-year-old domestic of the same address and set fire to their houses.

Both houses are located on the same compound.

The house belonging to Patricia Miller, a 12×15 structure was valued at $50,000, while that belonging to Dasent property, measuring 12×18, was estimated to cost $35,000.

The case is set for hearing on Wednesday, May 18, at the Mesopotamia Court, where Webb is expected to answer to the charges.

When SEARCHLIGHT visited the scene of the fires last Friday both houses were still burning, even though the Fire Services had already left. A third house, made of wood, and located in the same yard, stood untouched.