An unemployed man who was accused of setting fire to his mother’s house was remanded to prison when he appeared at the Blairmont Court yesterday before Magistrate Tejnarine Ramroop.

Vishnu Prashad

The court heard that on Thursday September 17, Vishnu Prashad, 47, allegedly set fire to the dwelling house of Sukhranee Prashad, 77, at Bath Settlement. He was not required to plead to the indictable offence. When questioned, the unrepresented Prashad told the magistrate that he resided at the house with his mother and that “sometimes one and two of my nephews would come and stay with us.”

Police prosecutor, Sergeant Grace Bristol asked that bail should be refused on the grounds of the “nature and gravity of the offence.” The magistrate refused bail and ordered Prashad to return to the Fort Wellington Court on October 29 for report. Before leaving court, Prashad complained to the magistrate that the police at Fort Wellington “beat me and take away my clothes.”

The magistrate ordered the police to return the clothing to Prashad.
Reports are that the defendant left home about 9 am on the day of the incident and returned around midday under the influence of alcohol. He started to curse and “behave bad” and his mother told him not to drink anymore because she was afraid of him then. He continued cursing and his nephew told him to “go inside and sleep.”

He however continued his abusive behaviour and his mother and nephew left for the Fort Wellington Police Station to make a report. They had not yet reached the station when they received a call that the house was on fire. Prashad was arrested while walking into the yard of a friend at Number 11 Village (Woodley Park), two villages away.