Dubai: A woman cried joyfully in court on Tuesday when a judge granted her an early release from prison, where she had been serving a life imprisonment since killing her co-wife in 1999.
The Pakistani woman, Rukhsana T., her brother, Tarek T., and countryman friend Mohammad A., were jailed for life in November 2000 for the premeditated murder of first wife, R.B., also Pakistani, in March 1999. The murder was said to have taken place in a fit of jealousy.
Last month, Rukhsana, Tarek and Mohammad lodged a special petition before the Dubai Court of First Instance seeking a pardon and an early release after having completed 15 years in the Dubai Central Jail.
With tears covering her eyes and weepy voice, Rukhsana was spotted collapsing joyfully on the bench and hugged a Filipina detainee who was seated beside her.
“Thank you God,” she was heard saying.
The trio had been serving their life sentence since their arrest in 1999.
“The court has agreed to have the three petitioners released immediately,” said presiding judge Mohammad Jamal in courtroom three.
UAE federal law stipulates that a convict who has completed 15 years of a life sentence is entitled to file a special petition to be released from jail.
“The court has approved the petitioners’ request considering that they have spent more than 15 years in jail with a good conduct. They have also proven that they became good individuals and have also learnt from their mistake. The court further believes that they do not represent any menace to the society … there wont be any problem in cutting down their life imprisonment and granting them an immediate release. However they will be deported,” according to Tuesday’s ruling.
The petitioners obtained a good behaviour certificate, according to court records, and a recommendation for their release on grounds of good behaviour was issued from the management of Dubai Central Jail.
Rukhsana, Tarek and Mohammad had also provided the court with a written waiver which they obtained from R.B.’s legal successors.
Court records said the husband, who is still alive, made his two wives live in the same home, along with his nine children.
Rukhsana, Tarek and Mohammad ganged up against R.B. and killed her in the second wife’s car. Then they disposed of the body in a desert area in Al Dhaid.
Prosecutors said the convicts planned the murder in advance. Rukhsana lured R.B. to go with her to a bank in Sharjah after claiming that their husband had asked them to sign some documents.
The second wife picked up R.B. and Mohammad was in the car. The defendants claimed that Rukhsana was supposed to drop Mohammad at some place along the way. They stopped the vehicle in a deserted area in Mirdif, pinned R.B. to the seat and smothered her.
Records said the second wife considered R.B. a troublemaker since they shared the same accommodation with their husband. The defendants alleged that the victim accused Tarek of theft. Rukhsana was also said to have earlier paid Mohammad money to kill R.B. when she was in Pakistan. But he failed to do so.
