Alleged Arsonist to Stand Trial for Torching Aunt’s House

Darryl Alvarez

Twenty-eight-year-old Darryl Alvarez, an alleged arsonist, will stand trial in Supreme Court for reportedly torching his aunt’s home in the Gungulung area in August 2014.  Alvarez, who was unrepresented, appeared before Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith for a preliminary inquiry.  During the session, the accused suggested that the Chief Magistrate visit the neighborhood where the fire took place and observe firsthand that it was the result of an illegal electrical connection, a practice which remains ongoing since 2006.  On August first, 2014, the home of Sonia Harris, a Belizean/American woman, was set on fire.  The incident was later determined to be a case of arson.  In court this morning, Prosecutor Egbert Castillo is relying on testimony from as many as eleven witnesses, including Alvarez’s sister and aunt.