In a recent court ruling, O.R., a man who had been granted permission to stay in an abandoned property, was sentenced to 15 months of unconditional imprisonment for arson. The incident occurred on Drietabikistraat, where O.R. ignited coconut husks in the living room to repel mosquitoes. He then left on his bicycle to visit a store, claiming he later assisted a man unloading goods from a pickup truck. By the time he returned an hour later, the house was already engulfed in flames. A neighbor reported that O.R. attempted to extinguish the fire with a bucket of water, but the fire department had already been alerted. The fire spread to an adjacent property, causing significant damage, while a third home suffered water damage. The owner of the neighboring house, who was commuting to work, learned of the incident via a phone call. The prosecutor emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, ‘You do not do this to someone who helps and shelters you,’ and initially demanded a two-year sentence. O.R.’s defense attorney, Harold Belfor, argued that the act was not intentional but rather a result of careless behavior. However, the judge dismissed this argument, asserting that O.R. should have been aware of the fire risk when lighting the coconut husks and leaving the premises unattended for an extended period. Ultimately, the court imposed a 15-month sentence, nine months less than the prosecution’s request.