Johor police chief Ab Rahaman Arsad said an investigation revealed that there were elements of arson.

“A special task force was formed to probe the case and it subsequently led to the arrest of the suspects – a 21-year-old man and his 19-year-old girlfriend – in Subang Jaya, Selangor, a week after the incident.

“It was revealed during interrogation that a loan shark syndicate in Singapore hired them to set fire to the house so as to intimidate the owner who had failed to repay a loan.

“At the time of the incident, the elderly woman was alone. She had never received any threats, and it is believed that the loan was taken out by a family member of the victim,” Bernama reported him as saying.

He said four investigation papers had been referred to the Johor legal adviser’s office and were returned with instructions for prosecution.

Rahaman said the man would be charged at the Segamat magistrates’ court tomorrow with nine charges under Section 304(b) of the Penal Code for causing death without intent, Section 436 for arson and Section 507 for criminal intimidation.

He said the man’s girlfriend was released on police bail and would serve as a prosecution witness.