Witnesses to testify for accused editor in Feb

dubai — Defence witnesses requested by the lawyer of a British editor at a local newspaper accused of killing his wife, are expected to appear in court on February 14.

On the defence lawyer’s request, witnesses — who knew the 61-year-old editor in person in his home country — are expected to appear in the Court of First Instance to give testimonies in his favour. Ali Al Shamsi, his lawyer, told the court that coordination and arrangements are underway for those witnesses to attend the upcoming hearing.

Al Shamsi also requested the court to hear the testimony of the forensic doctor who examined the victim’s body, not the other expert who was present in court as a witness. His objection was the latter did not carry out the autopsy but was just present. It is understood that the expert the lawyer requested had resigned.

The case dates back to July 4, 2017, when the editor called the police to report that his wife was killed by thieves who broke into his villa in Umm Suqeim 1 while he was away.

However, the inspection of the crime scene led the police to suspect foul play. “For a man, whose wife had just been brutally killed, he did not look shocked or traumatised,” a police lieutenant told the court.

The journalist earlier denied in court a premeditated murder charge. Another police major said that the defendant admitted later that he hacked his wife to death with a hammer following a heated argument, claiming it was not intentional.

“The accused said he tried to revive his wife. His clothes were, however, clean. Besides, he looked very composed as he relayed to us his story of how he had found his wife’s body in a pool of blood in her bed,” the major said.

The accused told investigators he had been having financial troubles for two years prior to the incident due to loans. And on that night, a dispute over leaving their villa and relocating to a less expensive house was the reason for their fight.