Dubai: A convict who shot dead a Saudi man in 2006 is asking a court to reduce his life sentence after paying nearly Dh2 million compensation to obtain a waiver from the parents of the victim.
The 25-year-old Saudi convict, Abdullah Mederham Al Mutairi, currently serving 25 years in jail for premeditated killing of his 38-year-old compatriot, Z.I., has pleaded the Dubai Court of First Instance to reduce his punishment.
In 2007, the Dubai Cassation Court confirmed a life sentence against Al Mutairi, who was found guilty of using an unlicensed pistol and premeditatedly gunning down Z.I. and injuring the latter's brother in what was known as "the Naif shooting case".
Al Mutairi's lawyer Mohammad Abdullah Al Redha handed a written pleading to Dubai's Attorney General Essam Eisa Al Humaidan requesting permission "to refer the plea to the Court of First Instance and have his client's life sentence".
Presiding Judge Al Saeed Mohammad Barghout adjourned the hearing until May 9 after prison guards failed to bring Al Mutairi from the Central Jail and produce him in court earlier this week.
Advocate Al Redha argued in his pleading: "Z.I.'s family, his mother, brother [the one who was injured in the shooting] and two wives agreed to grant a waiver to my client after he paid them nearly Dh2 million in compensation. We submitted the notarised waiver to Dubai Public Prosecution. According to Article 332 of the Federal Penal Code, we are seeking to reduce Al Mutairi's imprisonment to one year after the blood parents waived their rights."
Compensation
Al Redha is expected to present his case next hearing after the Public Prosecution referred his request to court.
According to records obtained by Gulf News, the injured brother collected nearly Dh800,000 in compensation and his mother, wives and children collected nearly Dh1.2 million.
Prosecutors had charged Al Mutairi with the illegal use of an American made Smith and Wesson handgun in the killing. The court had earlier sentenced Al Mutairi to three years in jail for kidnap and theft.
Police said the accused reeked of alcohol and was not in a normal condition when he was arrested. He forced himself into the car of the victims after noticing the vehicle's Saudi registration plate. The victims were driving from the Hyatt Regency Hotel toward the Naif Police Station interchange. He ordered them to take him to the Burj Al Arab hotel.
The victims asked the accused several times to get out of the car, but he refused. They wanted to head to Naif Police Station when he fired five shots.
