Man faces execution for rape, murder

DUBAI: A man who raped and killed a countryman suspected of publicising his kinswomen’s photos was sentenced to death on Tuesday and his accomplice jailed for ten years.

The Asian defendant, 33, after suspecting the deceased visitor, 30, of publicising photos of his female relatives, vengefully raped, strangled and buried him in a sandy area, Jebel Ali Police Station records showed.

The court sentenced him to death over the rape and murder and two years in jail for having robbed the deceased of his belongings. A blacksmith, 21, was convicted of taking part in the murder and theft.

The court sentenced him to ten years in jail over the murder and one year in jail to be followed by deportation over the theft. He had contended in court that the defendant committed the murder alone.

On Mar.16, a Jordanian company manager spotted a heap of sand and stones. He saw a right foot and called police. An Emirati lieutenant and his colleague saw the body under the sand and stones heap.

The killers had tied the deceased up with a rope, strangled him and buried him in the sandy area in Jebel Ali at a spot frequented by bootleggers and contracting company workers to mislead investigators.

An Emirati warrant oficer said an examination of his DNA helped identify him. Police learnt he was last seen with the defendant. Further investigations revealed the blacksmith accompanied them.

Upon arrest, the blacksmith confessed to have helped the defendant in the murder and narrated, “The deceased arrived in the country recently. The defendant gave me his number to call him for a meeting.

“We drove with him in our company vehicle towards Abu Dhabi. To make him relax and not suspect anything wrong would happen, the defendant bought him some drinks at a refuelling station on the way.

“The defendant later pulled over at the sandy area. We got out. He was so disappointed and relentlessly asked the deceased to tell him the reason he publicised his female family members’ photos in Pakistan.

“The deceased tried dodging the topic and kept telling the defendant that the photos were publicised by another man. The defendant told me to sexually assault the deceased. I refused.

“The defendant conducted the sexual assault on him. Thereafter, he told me to fetch a rope from the vehicle. He fastened the deceased’s arms to his legs. I helped him. He wound the rope around the neck.

“We pulled from either side. The defendant kept beating him. He tried to catch his breath. The defendant crammed sand in his mouth. We buried him. The defendant took his mobile and wallet.” The ruling remains subject to appeal at the Appeals Court in 14 days.