A Penal man was acquitted of a series of criminal charges, including arson, by a San Fernando jury on November 18.

After deliberating for just under three hours at the Princes Town Judicial Centre, the jury found Sarabjit Harripersad not guilty of the charges alleging arson, malicious damage, assault and battery and resisting arrest connected to a May 10, 2024, incident at Bheemul Branch Trace, San Francique Road, Penal. Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds presided over the trial. Harripersad was represented by attorneys Larry Williams, Enrique Singh and Alejandro Gocking.

Harripersad had been accused of setting fire to a house belonging to Mohanie Sankar, destroying a white Nissan Almera valued at $50,000, beating Ganesh Sankar and Rikson Andrews and resisting arrest. Throughout the trial, the defence relied heavily on what it called major contradictions among the prosecution’s witnesses.