Two women, ten-year-old boy, charged with arson

Two Belize City women and a ten year old boy are accused of burning down the home of a romantic rival. Eighteen-year-old Joanna Usher was charged with arson in Magistrate’s Court today after a fire on Tibruce Street destroyed a small wooden house belonging to twenty-four year old Edna Young on Saturday afternoon. Young told police she had gone out early that morning and by one p.m. her small house, valued at thirteen hundred dollars, was engulfed by flames. The only remarks Joanna made before Chief Magistrate Herbert Lord was “I nevah mean fi do it.” Her sister, Shantal, who was also charged with arson, told the court, “I nevah know they burn down the house, I nevah know ih send this lee boy fi bun down the house.” Both women were granted bail of six thousand dollars and one surety each and the magistrate made it clear he was letting them avoid jail only because both women have small children. The minor was given bail in the amount of three thousand dollars. The matter was adjourned until October thirteenth.