Saudi prosecutors demand death for 3 over newborns’ abduction

Cairo: Saudi prosecution has charged five people of involvement in kidnapping three newborns from a hospital more than 20 years ago and demanded the death penalty for three of them and tough punishments for the two others.

The case, dubbed in the media as the “Dammam Abductor” has attracted public attention in Saudi Arabia in recent months after a woman was caught while she applied to get identification documents for two of the children, claiming to have found them over two decades ago.

Lengthy investigations with 21 suspects and witnesses in the case culminated in raising charges against five including the woman, a spokesman for the general prosecution said in media remarks published Saturday.

The five are four Saudis and a Yemeni national.

The prime defendant is a Saudi woman charged with intentionally abducting three newborns from a maternity hospital in the eastern city of Dammam. The suspect is charged with causing psychological, moral and material harm to the abducted children and their biological families for more than 20 years, misleading investigation agencies with false information, and practising witchcraft, according to the prosecution spokesman.

One of the defendants, a Saudi citizen, is residing abroad and the prosecution has asked for the Interpol’s help in his handover to face justice at home.