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29 March 2024

Jailed man with 8 kids to be freed after diya paid

Published
By Staff

Ajman’s police will soon set free a man with eight children jailed nearly six months ago for accidentally killing an Emirati on the road after the Interior Ministry paid most of diya (blood money) for the victim’s relatives.

Friends and other donors have raised around Dh40,000 of the Dh200,000 diya for Abdullah Hassan Ali, a 52-year-old taxi driver, but he remained in prison as he could not afford paying the rest.

A relief fund set up by the Interior Ministry announced this week it would pay the remaining Dh160,000 after Ali’s plight was published in the Dubai-based Arabic language daily Emirat Alyoum on Sunday.

“The relief fund at the Ministry ended the suffering of Ali by announcing it would pay the remaining sum of diya,” the paper said.

Ali had been told by an Ajman court to pay diya just after he knocked over the Emirati man towards the end of 2011. When he could not pay, he was jailed and told he would be freed only when he pays.

“I appeal for all benevolent people to help me out…I can not afford paying Dh200,000 as my income is limited given my job as a taxi driver…my family is now living in very difficult conditions as my daughter is the only supporter of them despite her modest salary,” he told Emirat Alyoum on Sunday.

Ali said he was driving on Emirates Road last year when he was caught off guard by the Emirati man who suddenly emerged in the middle of the road to pick up his motorcycle helmet after falling off his head.

“I tried to avert him but I could not…the man was riding his motorcycle when he hit another car…his helmet fell off and he went after it,” he said

The driver has lived in the UAE for nearly 40 years and has never been involved in any police or court case, according the paper.

“He said that accident negatively affected the psychological condition of him and his family…..but with the announcement of the relief fund, that state of grief has turned into a state of relief and happiness.”