Killer husband's death penalty commuted

Abu Dhabi: A man who beat his wife to death has had his death penalty commuted to jail term by the Federal Supreme Court.

The convict will now serve one-and-a-half years in jail and will be deported, the court said.

The convict, a Syrian identified as S.N., lived in Abu Dhabi with his two wives in the same house.

On the evening of the murder, S.N. argued with one wife, identified as A.H. He told the public prosecution he slapped her twice in the face and left the house.

Dragged

S.N. told the prosecution he came back home at 11pm to find his wife standing on the kitchen balcony with "little clothes on her". He then slapped A.H. a few times in the face and grabbed her by the hair and dragged her to her room. Then he beat her with a rubber pipe.

When the other wife, M.N., tried to stop him from hitting A.H., S.N. pushed her away and continued the beating with the pipe.

According to S.N., after he beat A.H. he took a shower. When he came out, she was lying motionless on the couch.

He told the prosecution he checked her pulse and tried to revive her. He said he saw blood coming from her mouth followed by a yellow substance. S.N. then called the police.

During the investigation, he said he had been beating his wife for the past two months. He also said he once hit her with a skewer.

S.N. claimed he could not remember how many times he beat his wife with the pipe on the day of the incident.

He said he never meant to kill her and claimed that his beatings "were not very severe".

He also claimed A.H. hit herself against the wall many times. The public prosecution accused him of premeditated murder, but the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court revised the charges to fatal beating. The court sentenced S.N. to ten years in jail followed by deportation.

On appeal, the court raised the charges to premeditated murder and sentenced him to death.

S.N. took his appeal to the Supreme Court. He told the court he never meant to kill A.H. The family of A.H. waived their right to the blood money.

The Supreme Court overturned the lower court's ruling and imposed a year-and-a-half jail term followed by deportation.

On the night of the murder the husband repeatedly hit his wife with a rubber pipe. During the investigation the husband admitted to the public prosecution that he had been beating his wife for the past two months. He said he had never intended to kill his wife and claimed that his beatings were not very severe.

Have your say
Is there enough awareness on how to tackle domestic abuse? Do you know of cases? What action can they take? Tell us at letter2editor@gulfnews.com or fill in the form below to send your comments.

What??? Only 1 and 1/2 years?
Rohitha
Dubai,UAE

What on earth is going on here? Individuals smuggling a miniscule amount of drugs into the country are sentenced to 4 years in prison, while murderers get away with 1.5 years?
Shezanne
Dubai,UAE

He should have been sentenced to death, so the others could learn the lesson or think twice before raising their hand on their wives.
Sarwat
Dubai,UAE

I was in the same situation, and at that time there was no shelter to run until today. I suggest the society should initiate or create an organization for the purpose of protecting the abused wives.
Jo
Sharjah,UAE

To me the punishment should be capital, if not life term, for this animal.
Nasir
dubai,UAE

Why was the verdict overturned? This man should get 10 years to life imprisonment. He has robbed someone of her life. Neither she nor her family will ever get that back. Make an example of him. Domestic abuse and rape creates victims. The system needs to work positively for those victims who are abused so severely. It is unacceptable.
Ineke
Dubai,UAE

This is crazy. This guy should go to death row where he can rot in hell.
Sara
Dubai,UAE

It is really sad that after he killed his wife, all he has got is a one and a half year jail term. I don't think that this is the kind of punishment that will stop others from doing that again to their wives.
Rania
Sharjah,UAE

Yes, right, his beatings were not severe. If he was so out of it that he couldn't remember how many times he hit her they must have been long enough and severe enough. I can't believe that actually held up in court, after he admitted to the fact that he'd been hitting her for two months. It wouldn't be a surprise if its been two years....or more. And it moved from death sentence, to ten years in prison plus deportation, to 1 and a half years plus deportation.
Rabia
Dubai,UAE

One and a half years for murder? The caption said that violence against women is not widespread, because it is not tolerated. He should do 20+ years.
Jim
Dubai,UAE

I can't believe the husband gets away with only one and half years.
Hanan
dubai,Uae

Very sad and horrific to see these kind of acts still in this age and time. Instead of putting this man in jail for one and half year. Deportation will not make him comprehend his ignorance.
Sal
Dubai,UAE

This man - although I doubt he is really much of a man - should be convicted to the fullest extent of the law and should face a FULL life sentence without any chance of living a normal life, not just 1.5 years in jail.He took his wife's life cruelly, wickedly and through sheer force. Why would he have a rubber pipe in his house, other than to beat, threaten and brutalise his wives? Sounds like pre-meditated murder to me...My God have mercy on his soul for this crime.
Clara
Los Angeles,USA

Why his sentence was reduced is beyond my imagination. This guy deserves full sentence, at least life in jail.
Sager
Virginia,USA