Duo get life term for killing nephew in Dubai

Dubai - Dubai public prosecution accused the duo of planning the murder several months in advance and arranging for a rope, a hammer, a bag to hide the body and a shovel to execute the crime.

Two men, who invited their nephew to dinner and drove him later to a remote location in Dubai where they strangled him with a rope and hit him twice on the head with a hammer causing his death, have each been sentenced to life in prison.

The Dubai Court of First Instance found the two Pakistani men, aged 43 and 50, guilty of premeditated murder and kidnap charges. The 50-year-old was charged in absentia as he is at large.

They will be deported after completing 25 years in prison, the court has ruled.

Dubai public prosecution accused the duo of planning the murder several months in advance and arranging for a rope, a hammer, a bag to hide the body and a shovel to execute the crime. According to public prosecution records, the two men had brought the victim to the UAE and helped him get a job. Their crime was an act of revenge against the victim who had allegedly had a sexual relation with the wife of the 50-year-old defendant.

The incident took place on February 3, 2018 and was reported at the Jebel Ali police station. On that day, they invited the victim to dinner at the place of the main accused.

They offered to drop him back at his place but drove him instead to a dark and remote place in Jebel Ali. The 50-year-old struck the victim with a hammer while his accomplice strangled him with a rope.

A police lieutenant said that during interrogation, the 43-year-old defendant admitted they had planned the murder to redeem their honour over what the victim allegedly did back in their home country.

"The 43-year-old claimed that the victim confessed to having had sex with his uncle's wife. They killed him, stuffed his body in a bag and then buried him."

According to the forensic report, the cause of death was a 'blunt force trauma' to the victim's head which resulted in severe brain haemorrhage.

The defendants have the right to appeal the ruling within 15 days.

mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai