Man who killed relative told to pay SR3m, quit town

Relatives of a Saudi man convicted of murdering a relative during a fight are racing against time to raise SR3 million (Dh2.95 million) to be paid as diya (blood money) to the victim’s relatives or he could be beheaded.

The victim’s relatives have agreed to pardon the killer following mediation by a member of the royal family provided the killer’s family pays SR3 million diya and stays at least 500 km away from their town.

Abdullah Al Dafiri was sentenced to death in the northeastern town of Hafr Al Batin a few years ago after he was convicted of killing Ahmed Al Dafiri during a scuffle.

The court has given the killer’s family one month to pay the diya and leave town or he would be executed. Newspapers said the killer’s family had so far collected SR1.6 million from relatives and donations from other people, including SR600,000 given by an unknown donor this week.

“Hope has returned to the family of Abdullah after an unknown benevolent person donated SR600,000 this week…the family is now struggling to raise the remaining SR1.4 million of the diya to save Abdullah,” Sabq daily said.