‘Baige’ remanded for setting fire to vulcanising, pawn shops

Calvin Lawrence called ‘Baige’ of Lot 101 Leopold Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

He was slapped with three charges.

The first charge stated that on June 24, 2021, at Lot 1 George Street, Werk-en-Rust, he unlawfully and maliciously set fire to a dwelling house valued at $18M, containing articles valued at $6M, property of Collin Bentley.

It was further alleged that on the same day and at the same location, he unlawfully and maliciously set fire to a dwelling house valued at $38M, owned by Nalini Baboolall, containing articles valued at $16M belonging to Kevin Phillips.

The last charge stated that on the same day and at the same location, he unlawfully and maliciously set fire to a dwelling house valued at $250M containing articles amounting to $30M, property of Hardat Maniram.

The defendant was not required to plead to the charges. He was remanded to prison until July 21.

Facts presented by the court prosecutor stated that Nalini Baboolall is the owner of the property at Lot 1 George and Durban Street, Werk-en-Rust Georgetown, which once housed a wooden two-story building. The building owned by Hardat Maniram which housed the Elegance Jewellery and Pawn Shop was a four-storey building located east of the property owned by Baboolall.

The entire property of Baboolall was being rented by Phillips who operated a vulcanizing business on the ground floor and occupied the top floor with his family and some Venezuelan nationals.

Around 01:00hrs on the day in question, Phillips was awakened by the incessant barking of his dogs. Upon checking through the vent of the windows, he observed two men running from the direction of his house. Shortly after, he heard his neighbour shouting “fire”.

Phillips then raised an alarm and he and the occupants managed to escape the building before it was engulfed in flames.  The fire spread quickly and the building was completely destroyed.

An investigation was then carried out and Lawrence was arrested after Phillips reviewed CCTV footage shown to him by the Police. Phillips was able to identify Lawrence and one “Vishal” who he had known since childhood. Both of them were regular visitors at his vulcanising shop.