Dubai: A Syrian murderer was sentenced to life in prison in absentia following 10 months of adjournments due to the current unrest in Syria that prevented the authorities from sending legal documents to Dubai Courts.
The Dubai Court of First Instance on Wednesday sentenced in absentia the Syrian, M.K., for premeditatedly murdering a British woman and stealing her gold and jewellery.
In January, Presiding Judge Maher Salama Al Mahdi ordered Dubai prosecutors to communicate with Syrian judicial authorities to obtain copies of verdicts and prosecution findings concerning M.K., who was tried in Damascus after he turned himself in.
The case was adjourned more than six times as the ongoing unrest and state of insecurity prevented the Syrian judicial authorities from providing Dubai Courts with the requested legal documents.
According to Wednesday’s judgement, M.K.’s 25-year-old Syrian friend, M.M., was also sentenced for life in prison for aiding and abetting and instigating his countryman to commit the murder.
“Acting under bilateral judicial treaties and the Federal Law No 39 of 2006, concerning international cooperation in criminal matters, the Syrian authorities have to provide the court with copies of the irrevocable verdict against M.K. and investigation reports. An official copy of those legal documents is required before handing out a judgement in the crime that was committed in Dubai,” said Presiding Judge Al Mahdi in a previous hearing.
M.M. claimed in court several times that the unrest in Syria was the main cause behind not receiving these documents.
Court records said M.K. left Dubai few days after the crime, felt penitent and turned himself in to Interpol authorities in Syria.
M.M. pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors said M.K. stabbed the Briton after he failed to sedate her by spiking her coffee. Then he stole her belongings. M.M. was charged with encouraging M.K. to commit the crime.
A 30-year-old Syrian man, W.M., and a 27-year-old Jordanian, Y.H., were acquitted of possessing the stolen jewellery.
An Emirati police lieutenant testified that the crime happened in the woman’s flat in Bur Dubai.
“Her colleagues said she recently submitted M.K.’s CV to her managers to find him a job. M.K. left three days before the woman’s corpse was discovered. We arrested M.M. because he exchanged many calls with M.K. M.M. claimed that he hosted M.K. because he was jobless. M.M. said M.K. met the Briton at a disco and they became friends. Then M.K. stole the jewellery and asked him to transfer the money to Syria after selling the stolen items,” the lieutenant claimed.
Wednesday’s judgement remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
