An Abu Dhabi court has sentenced an Asian expatriate to death for murdering his work mate but left the door open for a pardon by the victim’s relatives.
The killer was convicted for stabbing his friend, believed to be Pakistani, 33 times after trying to rape him although he had denied such charges, the semi official Arabic language daily Alittihad reported Thursday.
Relatives who were summoned from Pakistan by the criminal court rebuffed the defendant’s claims that the victim tried to rape him, saying he had never been involved in such acts as he was married and had a child.
The court sentenced the killer to death and gave his relatives the choice to select the tool of execution.
But it also said the death sentence could be reduced to three years in jail in case the victim’s relatives accept blood money and pardon him.