Alden Sutherland Charged with Arson

Alden Sutherland

After three days in lockdown, a construction worker was arraigned for arson before the Chief Magistrate, Ann Marie Smith, this morning. Thirty-nine year old Alden Sutherland is accused of setting on fire a 2008 Tacoma belonging to Hector Choj, the manager of JEC Apartment on Youth for the Future Drive. The incident happened on Sunday when the vehicle was parked in front of the apartment building. But the fire was contained through the quick response of the company’s security so the damages were not extensive amounting to about five thousand dollars.  Sutherland was quickly apprehended when he was identified by the security guard. In court, the prosecutor, Inspector Egbert Castillo objected to bail asking the court to take into consideration the strength of the case. Castillo’s other grounds were that the accused may interfere with the witness and that given the severe penalty for arson, Sutherland may fail to show up for trial. The Chief Magistrate then asked Sutherland to given reasons why he should be granted bail. His response was that he is constructing a building so he has no reason to run from the law and that furthermore he does not know the complainant.  The Chief Magistrate granted him bail with stringent conditions where she ordered him to first surrender his passport to the court. Since Sutherland indicated to the court that he had no passport, he was ordered not to apply for one until his case concludes. He was also ordered not leave the country without the court’s permission, to stay away from the virtual complainant and to report to the Queen Street Police Station every Monday and Wednesday until his cases concludes. He is to return to court in November.