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Death sentence of murderer upheld

The Fujairah Court of Appeal has upheld the death sentence of an Emirati for stabbing an Arab national to death last year.

The appellate court also ordered that the 22-year-old Emirati man, identified as Kh.D.A, be flogged 80 lashes before execution by firing squad on the charge of consuming liquor before he committed the murder.

The court also upheld the lower court’s verdict condemning the convict’s brother identified as N.A to six months in jail on charge of covering up the crime by hiding the knife used in the murder.

The victim’s kin; his father and maternal grandmother, completely refused a blood money to be taken from the defendant in order that they could cede their right, but demanded ‘Qasas’ against the killer.

Qasas in Islam requires a retributive justice or an eye for an eye punishment, which means in this case to put the killer to death.

The court records go back to June last year when the Fujairah Police were reported that a 28-year-old Arab man was admitted to the Fujairah Hospital with deep stabs in his body. The victim succumbed to his wounds.

During investigation it was found that there was a brawl between the killer and the victim during a wedding ceremony in the Madab neighbourhood. As the attendees at the function failed to contain both the parties, the defendant hurried to his car and fetched a knife. He stabbed the victim many times, who fell down and died on the spot. He managed to flee the scene amid state of shock that befell the onlookers. The investigation showed that the convict’s brother N.D.A had hidden the knife his brother used to stab the victim. Both had been arrested and referred to court.

salah@khaleejtimes.com