Four Region Nine boys, between the ages of 11 and 16, recently appeared at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court jointly charged with arson.
They appeared before Magistrate Allan Wilson, where they were not required to plea to the indictable charge. An order of the evaluation assessment in the provision of the law is to be conducted by a competent court-appointed doctor and the four have been remanded into the state’s care at the Juvenile Holding Centre.
The case was postponed to July 13, 2023, at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court for report.
The quartet was charged in relation to the arson committed on the St. Angela’s Girls’ Hostel in Karasabai Village, South Pakarimas on June 1.
The incident occurred between 02:30 and 3:00hrs. Fortunately, all the female students residing in the hostel managed to escape to safety as an alarm was raised, prompting a swift response from the local police station and villagers.
Upon arrival, the police and villagers formed a bucket brigade to battle the flames, successfully extinguishing the fire before it could cause further damage.
The incident occurred just days after the Mahdia Secondary School dorm fire that led to the deaths of 20 children. A 15-year-old girl was recently charged with 19 murders.
