Donations save Sudanese killer from gallows in Saudi

A Sudanese man convicted of killing an Indian in Saudi Arabia was saved from the gallows after he paid SR150,000 (Dh149,000) blood money to the victim’s family through donations raised through a campaign launched by a local newspaper.

Ahmed Al Maleeh, a father of three children, was sentenced to death for killing the Indian man during a fight three years ago, just a month after he arrived in Saudi Arabia, the Arabic language daily Ajel said.

The paper said a large number of people responded to its fund-raising campaign to pay the diya (blood money) for the victim’s relatives.

“The diya was paid to the victim’s family and Maleeh has been pardoned…he will be released soon and sent back to his country,” it said.

Under Islamic law, which is strictly enforced in Saudi Arabia, a convicted killer can escape execution if pardoned by the victim’s relatives in exchange for diya.

(Shutterstock)

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