Blood money ordered in Sharjah brawl murder

Sharjah - 19 Asian suspects told to pay Dh200,000 in blood money

The Sharjah Sharia Court of First Instance presided over by Judge Dr Yaqoub Al Hamadi has ordered that 19 Asian suspects pay Dh200,000 in blood money to the family of a murder victim, as well as jail followed by deportation.

The suspects were charged for attacking shops in Al Ghuwair Souq belonging to Indian nationals.

After agreeing on a plan, the 19 suspects gathered and went to the souq, where a brawl erupted. Five people were stabbed, four of whom sustained moderate injuries and one of whom died as he arrived at Sharjah's Kuwaiti Hospital. Police immediately launched an investigation and arrested the suspects.

Dr Yaqoub Al Hamadi said that the first 16 of the suspects killed the victim, identified as M.N., by stabbing him with the intention of killing him.

He also noted that one of the suspects entered the UAE illegally after being deported, and one of the suspects escaped by illegally crossing over to Oman. Neither of them, however, participated in the murder.

The first 16 suspects were charged with premeditated murder and ordered to pay bloody money after the family of the victim pardoned them. The first 10 of the suspects were also sentenced to jail and fined Dh 10,000 for attempting to kill the other four victims, and for the damage they caused in the souq.

The last three suspects were sentenced to three years in jail for helping the suspect escape to Oman.

amira@khaleejtimes.com