Kuwait: Killer of Farah Akbar charged with first-degree murder
Charge is punishable by death; Akbar's killing caused revulsion across Gulf state
Dubai: The Kuwaiti man accused of killing a woman in Sabah Al Salem last week was charged with first-degree murder, which is punishable by death in Kuwait, the country’s public prosecution announced.
Farah Hamza Akbar was abducted by the Kuwaiti man last Tuesday. He allegedly stabbed her and dumped her outside Adan Hospital in Mubarak Al Kabeer. The victim later succumbed to her injuries.
According to reports, the suspect wanted to marry the victim, but her family rejected his proposal. The woman’s family said they had filed several cases at several police stations and with some public prosecutors, but the man was not kept in custody.
The woman’s sister – who is a lawyer – said that she repeatedly pleaded with a public prosecutor that the release of the man could endanger her sister’s life, but he was nevertheless freed on bail. She also said police stations did not take their complaints seriously.
Dozens of women gathered last Thursday outside the National Assembly in Irada Square demanding more protection for women and asking for their cases to be taken more seriously by police.
A number of the peaceful protesters said that they came to let authorities know that complaints by women must be dealt with seriously like those by men. They alleged that authorities tend to take their cases lightly.