Man threatens to use gun to defend home, family from alleged arsonists

Mohammed Farid showing some spills of benzine near the window behind his house in Benau, Labasa on May 13, 2020.

ALabasa man who allegedly owns a hunting rifle threatens to shoot anyone attempting to set fire to his house with the intent to kill his family. Benau resident, Mohammed Farid, 50, claimed someone attempted to set his house on fire around 9:30pm on Tuesday.

This is the same settlement where four women were killed after an arson attack with reports an alleged explosion before the fire.

Mr Farid said his wife heard a sound and opened the door thinking it was their son returning from work.

“She saw a man with a black dog in the compound coming towards our house,” the father of three children said.

“However, it was not our son and we realised this when he actually appeared after 15 minutes. My son complained that he smelt benzine near the breadfruit tree in the compound.

“When he entered his room, he could smell benzine.

Mr Farid claimed that after searching, they found the back of the house had a strong smell of benzine.

He claimed someone had poured the benzine from outside. He said they notified the Police. Police have done a forensic check and found no signs of disturbance outside their home.

Spokesperson Ana Naisoro said the complainant claimed that someone had poured flammable liquid around the home.

“However, upon checking, the forensic officers could not find anything outside his home and there were no signs of disturbance,” Ms Naisoro said.

“There was a small residue on one of the louvre blades which they have uplifted and taken for testing.”

Mr Farid said he lived in the house with his wife, son, daughter in-law and two grandchildren and for their protection he had no choice, but resort to shooting anyone he thought posed a danger to his family.