Almost seven years after the Health Ministry was set on fire, one of the suspected arsonists, Keith Ferrier, was on Monday apprehended by Police at a popular business establishment on North Road, Bourda, Georgetown.

Keith Ferrier

INews understands that Ferrier is presently in Police custody where he is being interrogated by investigators.

After the fire, the Guyana Police Force had issued a wanted bulletin for Ferrier and George Lashley, 60, of Lot 187 Freeman Street, East La Penitence, Georgetown among others for the fire.

However, Clayton Westford, 19, an office assistant of 7 West La Penitence, and 21-year-old Tedena Bagot, a pork-knocker of 32 Second Street, Alexander Village, were subsequently charged.

The Police had also stated that Colin Jones was also a part of the gang that set the Ministry on fire.

On July 17, 2009, about 03:00h, arsonists hurled improvised bombs made with channa and fuel into the upper flat of the main building. As a result of the fire, more than 200 persons were dislocated and the entire building destroyed.

Police removed channa bombs from inside the compound and also discovered that louver windows on another building in the compound were damaged. Pieces of glass and channa were found on the inside and outside of the building. After an investigation, it was concluded that the fire was an act of arson.

Then President Bharrat Jagdeo subsequently announced a $25 million reward for information that could help investigators find those behind the firebombing.