People 'must be taught how to have balanced marriage'

Abu Dhabi: A Filipina and her alleged Syrian lover are suspected of killing the woman's elderly Emirati husband, police said on Wednesday.

"DNA evidence showed the traces of skin found under the nails of the victim's second wife belonged to the victim," said Major Shaikh Mohammad Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, deputy director of Baniyas police station.

The police were called by the woman, identified as A.L.G, aged 39.

"She told the police her 70-year-old husband, identified as M.H.N, had died while he was asleep at their Shamkha house. The police found the man dead with traces of blood on his knees and head. The forensic report showed that death was caused by strangulation after his throat was constricted," Major Shaikh Mohammad said.

The wife told police her husband went to bed after he had dinner, took his diabetic medicine and drank milk and water. She told investigators she slept in her children's room and woke the next morning to prepare breakfast for the family. As she tried to wake her husband up she found him dead, the woman was quoted by the police as saying.

Police said the woman pointed a finger at the children of her husband's Emirati ex-wife.

"She claimed the children of the ex-wife would beat and sometimes molest her," police said.

Further investigation showed that a Syrian man, identified as A.A.A, was at his alleged lover's house on the night the crime took place, police said.

One of the woman's sons allegedly told the police his mother was having a sexual relationship with the Syrian man, who lives on the second floor of the same house and who was a partner of the murder victim in a restaurant. The business was sponsored by the Emirati, police said.

The Syrian man denied any link to the murder nor having any relationship with the victim's wife. He told the police he was sponsored by the victim who was also his friend. He also claimed he was helping the victim in his private businesses as he was sick.

The suspect also told the police that the woman had given birth to her children following illegal sexual relationships. Investigations revealed that the suspect was the father of two of the woman's children.

The police charged the Syrian man and his alleged lover with murder.

Lieutenant Colonel Dr Khalid Al Naqbi, head of the Social Support Section at Abu Dhabi Police, urged organisations concerned with Emirati families, to make more effort to educate the public about having a successful and balanced marriage, which "ensures harmony at home and prevents crime."

The forensic report showed that death was caused by strangulation after his throat was constricted."