Manama: A Saudi court has sentenced four members of a gang to 52 years in jail after they were convicted of raping a woman in front of her husband and young daughter.
The rapists, three Saudis and one Sudanese, were also sentenced to 7,000 lashes by the court in Jeddah in western Saudi Arabia.
The first defendant, a 17-year-old Saudi was sentenced to 17 years and 2,500 lashes to be given in 50 sessions, while the second and third defendants will be jailed for 15 years each and given 1,500 lashes in 30 sessions, Saudi daily Al Riyadh reported on Monday.
The fourth defendant was sentenced to five years in prison and to 1,500 lashes.
According to the case documents, the prosecutor in Jeddah charged the four defendants with forcing their way into the home of an expatriate and tying him up with electric wire.
They then attacked his wife, tore off her clothes and raped her in front of him.
The men also stole 10,000 Saudi riyals and eight mobile phones.
The men returned to the house on another occasion wielding knives and raped the one woman again.
The court ruled after the defendants confessed, and they reviewed the testimonies of the family’s neighbours, the reports of the experts, doctors and technicians and other evidence, the daily said.
Many social media users said the punishment was not enough for the gruesome crime committed, and called for the execution of the men.
