A MAN set fire to the home he shared with his reputed wife and three children at Brighton, Corentyne, Berbice after his attempt to burn his wife, three children and mother-in-law failed.

According to Candacie Khedaroo 28, her reputed husband, Michael Lewis, 34, earlier in the afternoon had attempted to beat her with a hammer. She explained she left the home for a few days with her children since Lewis was always in a habit of physically abusing her. She told the Guyana Chronicle, she returned on Monday to pick up her clothing to go by her mother when the accused began hurling remarks at her and began beating her.

She said she fought him off but he managed to drag her out on the street. She said whilst in the Street she grabbed her kids and ran. “I hurry and pick up the kids and go away to my mother and tell she to follow me to go back so we collect the children clothes and some other stuff so they could go school in the morning,”

She said she subsequently returned with her mother but did not see Lewis. Khedaroo asked around but no one saw him so she and her mother, Bibi Khedaroo and the children ventured into the home and that’s when Lewis pounced on them. “He said he going to kill and my mother and me trying fighting he off then he grab two bottle gas and throw it on we… mommy fight when he was about to light the lighter and we run out … everybody, all them kids soak soak with gas.”

While the mother and her kids ran for their safety, the suspect stayed behind and set the house on fire. The fire tender and police subsequently arrived at the scene and managed to contain the blaze. The suspect subsequently fled the scene. Up to press time the police in ‘B’ Division were still in search of the suspect. The suspect was also recently placed on a one year bond.