His compatriot girlfriend, A.A., was sentenced to life in prison by the Court of First Instance on the same charge.

H.S., a fomer security supervisor, is accused of torturing and confining by force his two daughters, eight and seven, for about six months which led to the death of the eldest and injury to Mira, who suffered permanent disability due to burns all over her body.

The verdict remains subject to appeal within 15 days at the Court of Appeal.

Execution is to be by a firing squad once the capital punishment is upheld by the Court of Cassation and approved by the Dubai Ruler.

Assistant chief prosecutor Shehab Ahmed Saleh had urged the court to impose the death penalty on H.S. and his girlfriend as per Article 344 of the Federal Penal Code.

Saleh said H.S. continued to abuse and torture Mira which indicated that he showed no remorse following the death of Wadeema.

H.S. had admitted during the trial that he hid Wadeema’s body by burying it in a remote desert location  in Al Badayer in Sharjah. 

In his closing defence pleas, Hani Al Jasmi, counsel for H.S., requested the court to modify the legal charges against his client and implement Article 338 instead of Article 344 of the Penal Code.

Paragraph 5 of Article 344 stipulates death or life in prison for confining someone illegally which leads to the victim’s death.

Article 338 awards five-year imprisonment for causing permanent damage or harm unintentionally.

mary@khaleejtimes.com