Court Orders Father of Business Manager to Appear in Case of Arson and Defamation

TDT | Manama

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The High Appeals Court has ordered the father of a business manager to appear in court, following the conviction of the son for arson and defamation.

The son, aged 36, was initially sentenced to 3 years in prison and fined 50 dinars by the High Criminal Court for setting fire to his father's residence and verbally abusing his sister.

The Public Prosecution accused the man of setting fire to property belonging to his father on July 15, 2023, in a building that was occupied, putting people and their property at risk. He was also accused of using defamatory language against his sister, without provocation, in her presence.

The sister, aged 45, testified that she was in the living room with their father when she heard sounds of breaking and shouting coming from the defendant's room.

The defendant entered the room, claiming that his father and sister had cast a spell on him. The father dismissed this as hallucinations due to drug use, which angered the defendant further. He hurled insults at his parents and threatened to burn them and the house down before returning to his room.

The sister stated that approximately half an hour later, she smelled smoke and saw thick smoke coming from under the defendant's door. She immediately called the police.

The father corroborated his daughter's testimony, adding that he had purchased the furniture that was destroyed in the fire for his son's room. A report from the Civil Defense confirmed that the fire was deliberately set.

The High Appeals Court has now ordered the father to appear in court, likely to provide further information regarding the case and the defendant's mental state.

The court's decision to summon the father suggests that the court may be considering mitigating circumstances or seeking to understand the defendant's motivations better.