Floyd Halley, a resident of Best Village, West Coast Demerara, is living in fear after two of his relatives allegedly set his house on fire in an apparent attempt to harm him.
The police have arrested four people and are looking for others.
During an interview with the News Room, Halley recounted the traumatising events that have left him living in fear and with nowhere to go.
He recalled that just after midnight on 25th January, he was awakened by the sound of a motorcycle idling outside. As he got up to check what was going on, he noticed two persons, whom he later recognised as family members, attempting to break into his home.
“I heard a commotion outside and saw someone run,” Halley said.
Once they realized he was up, they demanded that Halley open the door.
“While he [one of the suspects] talking to me, my front door was racking down.
“I tried dialling 911 because I couldn’t get Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station, so I called one of my neighbours and the phone rang out,” a fearful Halley stated.
The man said he tried to call another neighbour while the suspects, whom he believed were armed with cutlasses, desperately tried to enter his house.
A short while later, the first neighbour returned the call, and Halley explained the situation. By that time, the men had left on their motorcycle and made threats against Halley.
“I was scared, I was traumatised, so on the phone with my neighbour, I asked if I could come across and he said no problem.”
Halley told the News Room that he and his neighbour were talking about the incident when they heard a glass bottle breaking.
“About half an hour or so later, I heard a noise like a bottle falling on the road. I told my neighbour, ‘Shoo, shoo’.
“When I looked over to my house, the house was on fire and the two guys running away, they came back on foot. Probably they think I was in the house.
“Me and him [neighbour] was so scared, imagine we in by him and we ducking and hiding and couldn’t say anything,” Halley recounted.
Halley said his house was fully furnished, and everything inside was destroyed in the fire.
He expressed shock over the attack, especially since it was carried out by his own relatives.
“It’s my family. We always look out for one another. We don’t talk much, but I kept asking [them] what the problem was,” he said.
Halley said he later heard that one of his relatives believed that his [the relative’s] girlfriend and her sister had been staying at his [Halley’s] house and “sporting” for an entire week.
“So that was it, they had no motive but afterward I heard that they said his girl and her sister [were] at my house living the whole week and we were sporting which is none of the sort because I live alone,” Halley stated.
Now, left without a home and in fear for his life, Halley remains uncertain about what happens next and hopes the perpetrators can be brought to justice.
Meanwhile, Regional Commander Mahendra Shiwnarine told the News Room that an investigation into the incident is ongoing. Four persons were arrested and subsequently released on bail.
“We are still looking for the two main suspects. Efforts are being made to locate them,” the Commander said.
