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'Nothing will bring them back': Family speaks as killer in RAK murder case gets death penalty
The Ras Al Khaimah Criminal Court found the accused guilty of the premeditated murder of a 66-year-old woman and her two daughters
- PUBLISHED: Wed 15 Jul 2026, 2:37 PM
The family of three Syrian women shot dead in 2025 during a traffic dispute in Ras Al Khaimah said they felt a sense of justice after the killer was sentenced to death, but stressed that no verdict could heal the pain of their loss.
“Our hearts are calmer, but nothing will bring them back,” Mahmoud Salem Wafai, the son of the deceased 66-year-old woman and brother of the other two victims, told Khaleej Times. “There is no such thing as our right being fully returned. They are gone, and may God have mercy on them.”
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The remarks came after the Ras Al Khaimah Criminal Court passed the judgment on July 8 and sentenced an Arab man to death by qisas (retributive justice) after finding him guilty of the premeditated murder of a 66-year-old woman and her two daughters, aged 36 and 38.
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According to Al Khaleej newspaper, the court also convicted the man of attempted murder and issuing death threats. The ruling was delivered in the presence of the accused and the victim’s family.
The ruling may be appealed within 15 days and will only take effect after all legal challenges in higher courts are resolved. As per the law, a death sentence can only be carried out if both the Court of Appeal and the Court of Cassation uphold the initial verdict.
Mahmoud, who attended the hearing with other family members, thanked the UAE authorities and judiciary for ensuring justice through the legal process. “We thank the UAE because there is justice and the rule of law here,” he said. “The authorities did everything they could and did not fall short in any way.”
He said the verdict had helped ease some of the family’s suffering after months of emotional trauma.
“Since the day of the incident, we have been living through a very difficult period,” he said. “Losing a loved one is never easy, but this tragedy was especially painful.”
Mahmoud said the family had been waiting for the judgment while understanding that cases involving multiple victims require time to go through the legal process.
“We were waiting for the judgment, but we knew the legal process had to take its course,” he said. “In the end, the ruling was issued, and we are grateful that justice has been served.”
In the same case, the defendant’s son was sentenced to imprisonment and fined Dh10,000 after being convicted of charges related to threats and verbal abuse.
The case dates back to May 2025, when a traffic-related dispute in one of Ras Al Khaimah’s areas escalated and took a fatal turn.
Investigations revealed that a dispute broke out over a vehicle passing through a narrow passage, and soon the altercation escalated, with the suspect allegedly drawing a firearm and shooting the three women.
Mahmoud's three sisters were attacked. The 36-year-old and 38-year-old sisters succumbed to their injuries. The third sister, 47, survived. Despite her injuries, she managed to pass her phone to her 11-year-old son and instructed him to flee and call for help, which led the police to respond quickly.
Azza Al Ali is a reporter from Ras Al Khaimah, dedicated to sharing stories that bring the community’s voices to life. She’s passionate about connecting with people and highlighting what truly matters to them.