Following a two-year investigation, police told the man that his wife of 16 years, with whom he has five children, had hired thugs to attack him and his father, and also torch his cars and home.

The man, called Hani, was left even more shocked after being told that his wife had also had a string of affairs.

The woman was brought to court and sentenced to two years and lashes for the arson attacks.

Hani married the Malaysian woman after falling in love with her some 16 years ago. He was also able to secure Saudi citizenship for her nearly 10 years ago. "My troubles began around seven years ago when my car, which was parked close to my home, went missing. I informed the police and they later told me it had been found and had been torched," he said.

He added that he lost three more cars in the same way. "I didn't know who did it at the time but it wasn't nice," he said.

After this, Hani decided to leave Makkah and go to live in Bahra where he had a second home. "While we were preparing to move to Bahra, I found out that the house had also been put on fire. We again didn't know who had done it," he said. Some time later, his father was attacked in a street. "Some guys got out of a car and poured acid on him leaving him with serious burns. They were trying to kill him," he said.

Three months later, Hani was also attacked in the same way. "I sustained 40 percent burns and lost vision in my left eye. I underwent surgery and was given an artificial eye. It was then that I lodged a police complaint," he said.

Having investigated the occurrences for two years, police told Hani that the person behind his troubles was his wife, who had also indulged in a string of affairs, including with a Saudi man, a Pakistani man and an Egyptian man.

It was when his wife was caught in illegal seclusion (khulwa) with the Egyptian man that police were able to make a breakthrough into the case.

Hani's wife had launched a campaign to trouble her husband using her lovers to get rid of him. Police also found that a Bangladeshi man had been hired by a Saudi lover to steal and torch Hani's cars.

The Saudi lover, along with Hanif's wife, had also hired a Pakistani man to carry out the acid attacks. The man had been promised SR10,000 but was only paid SR500. It was also learned that Hani's wife and her lover had also dared the Pakistani to tell the police after he complained that he was still owed SR9,500.

During questioning by police, Hani's wife admitted to arranging for his cars and home to be torched. However, she stood short of admitting the acid attacks. The court is still investigating that matter and will issue its verdict soon.