Family to pardon man who killed, buried aunt in UAE desert

A Filipino, who is accused of killing his aunt two years ago and later burying her body parts in deserts, told court that the victim's family members have agreed to pardon him in return for blood money.
The Filipino charged with premeditated murder is on trial at the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court of First Instance. Court documents state that the man had killed his aunt in Mussafah area of Abu Dhabi over Dh10,000, which he owed her.
After killing the woman, the man dumped her body parts in the desert areas of Dubai and Ajman to cover up his crime. The victim worked as a domestic help for a family in Abu Dhabi.
The murder came to light on May 27, 2016 when a Dubai Municipality cleaner informed the police about finding a headless body in a highly decomposed state.
On Thursday, the killer told the court that his family and lawyer had contacted the victim's blood relatives, including her seven uncles, and that they had all waived their rights to retribution in return for blood money.
The man added that one uncle had not yet decided but his family was still in talk with him to see that he would also pardon him. "The family will then send a letter with their signatures acknowledging their waiver in return to blood money," he said.
At the previous hearing, a prosecution witness, deputy director of CID at the Dubai Police, told the court that the decomposed body of the Filipina woman was found in a very quiet place in Al Warqa'a on Academy City Road. He said the woman's other body parts were found buried in a desert in Ajman.
He added: "Through our secret sources, the investigation team identified the murdered woman. The police obtained permission and arrested the man suspected of the killing. We arrested him from his residence in Abu Hail area."
Police investigations found that the defendant had borrowed Dh10,000 from the victim and killed her when she demanded her money back. The officer told court that during his interrogations, the Filipino admitted to killing his aunt.
The man told Dubai Police that he took a cleaver and a knife from his home and drove his friend's car to Abu Dhabi where he met the woman. "He said he had convinced the woman to get into the car and then drove her to a deserted area in Mussafah area as the pair argued over the money," said the police officer. "He said he stabbed the woman multiple times in different parts of her body until she died."
The man then covered the woman's body and drove back to Dubai with the body. When he reached Dubai, he cut off her head and hands, burnt them and took them to sandy area in Ajman where he buried them. The man had pleaded not guilty to the charge of premeditated murder throughout his trial at the court. The trial was adjourned until October 17.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi

Ismail Sebugwaawo

ismail@khaleejtimes.com