Dubai A watchman, serving a life sentence since 2002 for asphyxiating a woman to whom he had lent money and stealing her gold necklace, has renewed his plea for an early release.
In March 2002, the Dubai Court of First Instance jailed the Indian defendant for life for suffocating his countrywoman to death and stealing her necklace and mobile phone.
The murder took place in August 2001 after the accused, who worked as a building’s watchman in Naif, lent some cash to the Indian woman who resided in that building. He went up to the woman’s flat and asked her to give him back his money but she did not have enough money.
When he tried to snatch the gold necklace she was wearing, she resisted him and then he suffocated with her hands and killed her. He stole her necklace and phone.
Earlier this week, the convict lodged his second plea for an early release before the Dubai Court of First Instance.
“How many years have you served out of your imprisonment?” presiding judge Mohammad Jamal asked the petitioner.
“I have spent around 17 years,” he responded.
In February 2017, the Court of First Instance rejected the convict’s first plea for an early release.
The defendant had to wait for a year to be able to renew his plea and lodge his second petition.
As per Article 45 of Law No 43 of 1992 on Regulating Punitive and Reformative Establishments, the convict lodged his plea before the court seeking an early release after having completed more than 15 years of his life imprisonment.
According to records, the petitioner obtained a good behaviour certificate and a recommendation for his release issued by the management of Dubai Central Jail.
The law stipulates that a convict who has completed 15 years out of a life sentence (25 years) is entitled to file a special petition to be released from jail.
Presiding judge Jamal said the court’s decision will be announced on Sunday.
The convict’s first petition was rejected due to the severity and gruesomeness of his crime.
In his second plea, the petitioner mentioned that he had spent more than 16 years behind bars and he regrets what he had done. He stressed that his behaviour had completely changed.
When the accused asked the woman to repay his money, according to court records, the victim told him that she did not have the money. However, once he spotted the gold necklace that she wore, he tried to take it away but she resisted him on which he killed her and stole her phone and necklace.
Then he called the police and told them that he found her dead when he entered her flat.
On-site investigation revealed that the woman had been suffocated to death.
Dubai Police’s forensic examiner also confirmed that the defendant had asphyxiated the woman with his hands.
