NAJRAN: An Egyptian man suspected of murdering an Afghan worker in Najran was arrested on Friday on a ferry that was about to leave Dhiba port.
“Tabuk police arrested the wanted man, Masood Hassan, 15 minutes before the ship was scheduled to leave for Egypt,” a police source told Al-Watan newspaper.
The Afghan man, identified as Ghaila, was found dead close to the shop where he worked in the Al-Faisaliah district of Najran on Jan. 10. His mobile phone and SR700 were missing.
Hassan, who used to visit the victim at his shop, disappeared shortly after the murder, leading to suspicion of his involvement in the crime. A nationwide manhunt was launched and officials at all of the Kingdom’s exit points were notified.
“Police in Dhiba were led to believe the suspect was there after they traced a call from the Afghan man’s phone to an Egyptian’s number,” a police source said.
“After locating the outgoing phone call to a ferry about to leave for the Egyptian port of Safaga, police stopped the vessel and interrogated 19 Egyptian workers from Najran who were on board. Hassan was identified and the ship was allowed to continue its voyage,” the source added.
Police acquired further proof of the Egyptian’s involvement in the crime when he led investigators to the location where he hid his victim’s wallet and the knife he used to commit the murder.
On questioning, Hassan told police he only intended to rob his victim’s money, which he thought would be a substantial amount as he had been saving up for some years.
He said he committed the crime as Ghaila was planning to return to Afghanistan soon.
