JEDDAH, 14 May 2006 — A 22-year-old man has been spared the executioner’s sword following a pardon from his victim’s father in the town of Bareq in the southern province of Asir.
It was a memorable day for the people of the town. A large dinner with music and dance was arranged to celebrate the event in the town, Al-Watan newspaper reported yesterday.
Aamir ibn Awad Al-Shahari killed his cousin Mahayel ibn Mahayya Al-Shahari, 22, following a dispute in the mountainous district of Mujareda in 2003. Police arrested Aamir and eventually a Shariah court judge sentenced him to death.
His family has been hoping for a pardon from the parents of the killed all these years, Al-Watan said.
Mahayya Al-Shahari, the victim’s father, announced his decision to pardon the killer on Wednesday and signed the document of waiver at the court in Khamis Mushayt immediately. He made it clear that he did not demand any material benefit or token of gratitude from the killer, as his only motive was to earn God’s grace.
“My brothers, sisters, wife, sons and myself are unanimous about the pardon and what we seek is only the mercy of Allah. Nobody has exerted any pressure on us or tempted us with a huge sum of blood money,” Mahayya said.
On hearing about the pardon, mother of the youth on the death row said, “May Allah reward Mahayya and his relatives and forgive all their sins.”
Meanwhile, a man in the Northern Border Province is biding time with the hope of some philanthropists coming up with SR3 million to save his head. Awad Khaled Al-Anazi, 23, stabbed an Arab expatriate to death while quarreling on a silly matter, Al-Yaum newspaper quoted Awad’s brother as saying.
The relatives of the victim initially demanded SR4 million as blood money but they later agreed to reduce the amount to SR3 million. While in jail the culprit has reformed to such a level that he learned the entire text of the Holy Qur’an and leads group prayers in the jail, his brother said.
With the death of his father who had plans to meet leading charity organizations in the country to raise the money for his release, the future of Awad looks dismal.
