For Immediate Release:
April 20, 2022

Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of MATHEW AWOJOBI (DOB: 1/15/1959; divorced; security guard) of 159 Pomona Avenue, Newark, NJ on arson-related charges. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Jason Love and the Moonachie Police Department under the direction of Chief Richard Behrens.

At approximately 6:54 p.m. on Monday, April 18, 2022, the Moonachie Police Department received a report of a brush fire in the area of 140 State Street, Moonachie, NJ. Upon their arrival to the area, officers found a large area of brush fully engulfed in fire. The fire was subsequently extinguished by the Moonachie Fire Department. An investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Moonachie Police Department revealed that MATHEW T. AWOJOBI had intentionally set the fire.

On April 19, 2022, MATHEW T. AWOJOBI was arrested and charged with second-degree aggravated arson, N.J.S.A. 2C:17-1a(1); second-degree aggravated arson, N.J.S.A. 2C:17-1a(2); second-degree causing or risking widespread injury or damage, N.J.S.A. 2C:17-1a(2); and fourth-degree failure to report a fire, N.J.S.A. 2C:17-1c(1). AWOJOBI was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending his first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, NJ.

Prosecutor Musella states that the charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and he would like to thank the Moonachie Police Department and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this investigation.