They say medical staff mishandled the case of Faleh Al-Otaibi who later succumbed to his injuries, Al-Jazirah daily reported.

They claimed that the medical report showed that Al-Otaibi’s death was due to a heart attack and serious respiratory problems following the failure of his kidney. They added that the report mentioned nothing about the injuries on his head and face caused by rocks thrown by his assailants.

Al-Otaibi, a member of naval forces based in Jubail, was part of the Saudi armed forces that took part in the recent successful military operation that drove away armed infiltrators on the southern border region.

He was attacked on the morning of June 14 as he traveled to his barracks in Jubail after spending his vacation with his family, his brother said. “On his way to Jubail, Faleh Al-Otaibi encountered a problem with two Yemeni nationals, an infiltrator and a resident, in Al-Maadar district in Riyadh,” said the brother.

“A heated verbal exchange between the two ended in a fight. Faleh Al-Otaibi was struck by rocks and sustained serious head injuries. He slipped into a coma, was dragged along the road and abandoned in a secluded area.”

According to his brother, Al-Otaibi was taken to a government hospital in the capital after lying for about 15 hours under the scorching sun. He was discovered by a passerby, who then called the police. He died in hospital after receiving treatment for nearly 17 hours in intensive care.

Al-Otaibi’s file stated that he was an unidentified person suffering from psychological problems, alleged his brother. “The medical report also does not mention serious injuries he suffered at the hands of his attackers,” he said.

The brother added that Al-Otaibi’s mobile phone was found with hospital staff and this was only after a frantic four-day search. He accused hospital staff of destroying Al-Otaibi’s clothes, which could have been used as a key piece of evidence. “We were surprised to see the findings of the medical report, which claimed my brother was suffering from a mental illness, while there was not a single reference to the fact that he was the victim of an attack.”

It was revealed in an investigation by security authorities that his death was a murder and that the attackers had taken his car, money and identification papers.

Two Yemeni men who later confessed to the murder were arrested by Naseem police in Riyadh shortly after the attack.

They had been involved in an accident in Al-Otaibi’s car after carrying out a theft in the Umm Al-Hammam area in Riyadh.

Meanwhile, Al-Otaibi’s colleagues described him as a brave soldier who longed for martyrdom during his battle with the infiltrators.

Al-Otaibi took part in operations that resulted in the capture of a number of rebels. He escaped unhurt in several attacks by enemies in the battlefield. He was also responsible for transporting the bodies of several colleagues who died in battle as well as shifting wounded soldiers to field hospitals, they said.

Al-Otaibi is survived by his wife and five children.