Arab carpenter facing arson trial to undergo mental health test

The High Criminal Court yesterday ordered mental health tests for an Arab national carpenter accused of arson to ensure whether he was fully responsible for his actions.

The carpenter allegedly set the carpentry on fire to settle scores with his management for unpaid salaries. The 53-year-old was entitled to receive BD273 from his employer, but he caused more than BD300,000 worth of damage by burning the property which is located in Sitra, according to court files.

“I came to Bahrain in 2017, but due to difficult working conditions, I filed a case against my employer with the Ministry of Labour. My complaint was solved, but my employer stopped paying my salary from January 2018 until April,” the accused said. “I filed another complaint and the Labour Court ordered my employer to settle my dues,” he added.

According to court documents, the Labour Court ordered in his favor and his employer handed over him a cheque for BD273.