Welders charged with murder of girls, father killed in Robb and King streets fire

Two men were yesterday charged with the murder of two young girls and their father, who died as a result of an early morning fire that was started by arson at Robb and King streets, Georgetown, just over a year ago.

Ganga Krishna, 74, of Lot 11 North Road and Avishkar Bissoon, 24, of Lot 1 Sheriff Street, Georgetown, appeared before a city court yesterday to answer to the charge which states that between November 16 and December 21, 2014, in Georgetown, they murdered Clarissa Rozario, 14; Theresa Rozario, 12; and Hilrod Thomas, 63, in the course or furtherance of arson in relation to a dwelling house.

Clarissa Rozario
Clarissa Rozario

Neither of the accused was required to plead to the charge.

Theresa Rozario
Theresa Rozario

Both Krishna and Bissoon were represented by attorney Mark Conway, who stated that Kishna operates a welding company and Bissoon works as a welder at the said business.

Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan remanded both of the accused and adjourned the matter to March 4.

Clarissa and Theresa Rozario perished on November 16, 2014, when an early morning fire consumed the home they lived in. Their father, who was also at home when the fire began, also sustained fatal injuries and died in hospital days later.

Thomas, who was a brother of former minister in the PNC administration Jeffrey Thomas, had jumped from the burning building, after he was unable to save his trapped children.

Thomas and his two daughters had lived in the top flat of the three-storey building, while other parts of the building were occupied by small businesses.

According to reports at the time, a person or persons unknown threw Molotov cocktails at the building resulting in the fire.

Zamara Rozario, another daughter of Thomas had also raised the suspicion of arson, relating that in 2009 there was a similar incident which involved persons throwing fireballs at the building. She said a fire had started, but it was quickly extinguished resulting in only a section of the building being burnt.