A MIDDLE-AGED man who started a fire in his deceased father’s Isa Town residence, while on a meth-fuelled bender, has been sentenced to a year in prison.
The High Criminal Court heard that the 46-year-old Bahraini driver damaged part of the property, now owned by his father’s heirs – his mother and three sisters.
“The heirs did not present a document showing the value of the damages, but they dropped charges against the defendant,” read the verdict.
“Since the court considered the circumstances of the case, as well as his relatives’ withdrawal of complaint, it regarded and treated the defendant with a measure of mercy.”
His sister earlier testified that she and her elderly mother were forced to move out of the house in 2023 due to his erratic behaviour.
“He is addicted to drugs, which makes him act hysterically, and he hallucinates that there are people in the house when there aren’t,” the 37-year-old Bahraini said.
“This September, I received a call from the Psychiatric Hospital and learned that he had burned part of the house again. We went there and saw a fire in his bedroom.”
Despite the hardships she experienced due to her son’s conduct, his mother called the police in the middle of the trial to inform them that she did not want to press charges against him.
The 70-year-old withdrew a complaint lodged against him in her name, as she is one of the owners of the house.
“I never reported my son in the first place since I am out of the country, but I’ll come back soon,” the Bahraini told authorities earlier, adding that she would not seek compensation for damages.
A 44-year-old sister also testified that he had committed the same act twice before.
A psychiatric evaluation stated that, although the defendant used drugs, he was still fit to stand trial and responsible for his actions.
When the Public Prosecution went to the house for an inspection, matchsticks were reportedly found scattered near the location of the blaze, along with a black lighter.
A Civil Defence report concluded that the fire was man-made, and that two rooms were damaged.
Investigators uncovered a history of intentional fires started by the defendant.
A look at his criminal record revealed previous charges and convictions for drug use and arson-related cases.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))