Vendor charged with setting George St buildings ablaze

Calvin Lawrence

A Leopold Street vendor has been remanded after being charged with starting the fire which destroyed three buildings, including a vulcanising shop and the Elegance Jewellery and Pawn Shop at George Street.

Calvin Lawrence, 22, of Lot 101 Leopold Street, Werk-en-Rust, George-town, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the George-town Magistrate’s Courts yesterday and faced three counts of arson. Lawrence was not required to answer to the charge which stated that on June 24, 2021, at Lot 1 George Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, he unlawfully and maliciously set fire to a dwelling house valued $18 million, containing articles valued $6 million, property of Collin Bentley.

It is also alleged that on June 24, 2021, at Lot 1 George Street, Werk-en-Rust, he unlawfully and maliciously set fire to a dwelling house valued $38 million, owned by Nalini Baboolall, containing articles valued $16 million belonging to Kevin Phillips.