Man Jailed for Arson Attempt Over Personal Dispute

A personal dispute escalated into a dangerous arson attempt that could have resulted in a major incident, after a Bahraini man in his thirties was sentenced to one year in prison and ordered to pay 100 dinars in compensation for damages.

The First High Criminal Court convicted the 33-year-old defendant after he set fire to a palm tree and attempted to ignite a vehicle belonging to the son of the complainant.

Court documents show that the incident stemmed from a dispute linked to drug-related issues involving the victim’s son. Acting out of anger, the defendant travelled to the victim’s residence on a bicycle, carrying a bottle of fuel and a lighter, with the intent to commit arson.

Upon reaching the location, he poured flammable liquid on a palm tree in front of the house and set it alight, causing flames to break out at the scene.

The situation was quickly discovered after the victim was alerted by his housemaid, who noticed a suspicious person outside the property. The victim rushed outside and found the palm tree on fire with a strong smell of fuel in the area. He managed to extinguish the flames using a water hose, preventing the fire from spreading further.

During a subsequent inspection, the victim found a bottle emitting a strong smell of fuel and immediately reported the incident to authorities. Surveillance footage later confirmed the sequence of events, showing the defendant arriving by bicycle, starting the fire, and fleeing the scene.

The following day, police summoned and arrested the suspect. During questioning, he confessed to setting the fire and admitted he was the individual captured in the security footage.

Authorities said swift action at the scene helped prevent the incident from turning into a more serious and potentially dangerous situation.