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Murder most foul

ABU DHABI — A 19-year-old Jordanian, Ahmed A, has been given the death sentence by the Supreme Federal Court for the premeditated murder of a UAE national whose family insisted on the death penalty after rejecting the offer of 'blood money', and the rulings of a lower court.

The decomposed body of the victim was found in an artificial canal in Musafah area with his hand and legs bound with electric wires. He was also blindfolded.

The convict told the court that he and the victim had a homosexual relationship. On the fateful night, they were both drunk and that the victim tried to force the killer in a very brutal way to engage in immoral acts. A fight broke between the two, and ended with the convict striking the victim on the head. The forensic report of the Ministry of Justice showed that the victim had died of brain haemorrhage after sustaining a severe head injury.

The Abu Dhabi Court of First Instance sentenced Ahmed to 15 years behind bars, and to pay a Dh150,000 blood money for the killing. The court also said that the culprit would have to spend an extra five years in jail for committing immoral acts, in addition to 100 lashes.

A deportation order was also passed on the culprit to be enforced after serving the jail term. The court verdict complied with Islamic Shariah Laws and the Penal Federal Code No. 3 of 1987.

The convict, however, appealed against the ruling but the appeal court endorsed the verdict.

However, the heirs of the deceased rejected the court ruling, insisting they wanted the convict executed in retaliation, instead of the blood money.

The heirs provided the Supreme Federal Court with the required documents from government departments, stating they were well off and were not in need of the blood money.

"We have considered their appeal because they were able to provide the jurors with documents from public departments, including the Abu Dhabi Municipality and Town Planning Department proving they were not in need for the blood money," a legal source at the Supreme Federal Court told Khaleej Times.

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