The attorney for supermarket arsonist Alex Feng is pleading with NGOs and human rights organisations to support him in efforts to have Feng reintegrated into the community.
Feng, who deliberately burned down the XPZ store in 2021, was released from prison earlier this year having served jail time, and has since been living at the Navy Base in Coolidge due to his lack of a passport and independent housing.
Wendel Alexander told Observer yesterday that the authorities should contact NGOs to help.
“What I would have liked to see is persons from the non-governmental organisations come forward and say we are willing to keep him; this is what we propose as the case may be.
“I don’t think I have had any convincing suggestions in terms of how he will be maintained in terms of his livelihood, and have him reintegrated back into society,” the attorney said.
Tianzhao “Alex” Feng, 31, is a Chinese national who was brought to Antigua via St Lucia where his passport was subsequently taken away from him.
It was revealed during the court proceedings that Feng suffered from inhumane working and living conditions – coupled with physical abuse.
Feng was one of nine Chinese nationals employed at the store who lived on the premises. He had been employed for four years as a warehouse clerk and resided in living quarters at the back of the supermarket that were said to be infested with rats and cockroaches.
He was being paid just EC$900 per month while working 12-hour shifts, the court heard.
Feng is said to have set his bed alight in the early hours of that fateful day while drunk, before gaining access to the store and setting a fire there too.
His attorney said that although Feng’s charges were serious, he deserves a chance at a normal life.
“I did not approach the government on the matter because I have not been impressed with the fact that there are any NGOs with a serious proposal as to how Mr Feng will be reintegrated into society,” Alexander added.