A MONTH after the building which houses the White Castle Fish Shop was torched, a 30-year-old woman was charged with arson on Wednesday.

Charged is Alexio Keizer of Duke Street, Kingston, who was dismissed as a manager of the business establishment and who is also the reputed wife of the fish shop owner.
Keizer appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that on April 14, at John and Hadfield Streets, Keizer set the building afire. The property is owned by Krishnandra Beharry and valued at $8.3M.

The fish shop business is owned by Jermaine Langevine, along with its appliances valued at $410,540,000. Keizer’s lawyer, Bernard DaSliva made an application for bail, citing the fact that the defendant is the mother of Langevine’s child.

The magistrate, with no objection raised by the prosecution, released Keizer on $250,000 bail and adjourned the matter until May 30.

Chief Fire Officer, Marlon Gentle had disclosed that on the day in question around 02:30hrs, four fire response units from the areas of Central Georgetown, West Ruimveldt and Alberttown, responded to the fire which had already consumed the ground floor.

The fish shop is located at the bottom flat of the four-storey building, but further damage was averted upon the arrival of the fire service, which prevented the flames from spreading outwards and upwards.

According to reports reaching the Guyana Chronicle, Keizer arrived at the fish shop after her calls to Langevine’s cell phone went unanswered. The woman became annoyed, armed herself with a bottle of gasoline and then allegedly set fire to the building.