Woman with Mental Disability Sent to Psychiatric Care Instead of Jail for Arson

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com   

A 39-year-old woman accused of setting fire to her father's home has been spared imprisonment and instead placed in psychiatric care pending her recovery. The High Criminal Court ruled in favour of the defendant, who was found to be mentally incompetent and therefore not responsible for her actions.

The incident occurred on March 14th, when the defendant allegedly set fire to belongings in her room, endangering the lives and property of her family. Her father, a 66-year-old man, reported that he had observed a change in his daughter's behaviour in the days leading up to the incident, characterised by erratic behaviour and shouting. He further stated that he had tried to calm her down but was unsuccessful.

On the day of the fire, the defendant's sister alerted their father to smoke emanating from the defendant's room. Upon entering the room, the father discovered a fire in the bathroom, with burning blankets and thick smoke filling the room. He managed to extinguish the fire with water. The father stated that this was not the first time his daughter had started a fire.

The Directorate of Civil Defense's report confirmed the fire was intentionally set, with significant damage to the blankets and minor smoke damage to the room.

The defendant, represented by lawyer Huda Al Aswad, pleaded not guilty and requested a psychiatric evaluation. The court granted the request, and the psychiatric report concluded that the defendant was suffering from a mental disability and was not responsible for her actions.

The court, citing Article 31 of the Criminal Code, ruled that the defendant was not criminally liable due to her mental incapacity. The court subsequently dismissed the charges against her and ordered her placement in psychiatric care until she recovered.

It's worth noting that the defendant maintained her innocence, claiming that the fire was accidental and caused by incense she had lit in her room. She also stated that her daughter had been taken away from her, making it impossible for her to intentionally harm the place she lived in.