MADINAH, 21 November 2006 — Khaled S., arrested on suspicion of serial burglary and rape, has been found guilty and sentenced to death by the Madinah General Court, Al-Watan newspaper reported yesterday.
The 26-year-old Saudi, married and father of two, had been dubbed by the locals the “Madinah serial killer,” although he wasn’t charged with murder. The nickname emerged following rumors that a serial burglar was also murdering people home alone. The media never used the nickname, choosing instead to call him the “house breaker.”
Khaled was convicted on Saturday for breaking and entering, larceny and the rape of at least one woman who was home alone at the time of the burglary.
The report cited an unnamed counselor close to the trial as saying that the court found Khaled guilty of breaking and entering, theft and possession of the controlled stimulant fenetylline, known by its commercial name Captagon. He was also charged with one count of rape. Four women also accused him of attempted rape. A fifth woman came forward after the condemned allegedly named her in his testimony.
The verdict will now be passed to the Court of Cassation for endorsement, which will in turn be submitted to the consideration of the seven-judge Supreme Judiciary Council.
In the few weeks before Khaled’s arrest in February, the community was alarmed over the rash of break-ins and attempted rapes that began in January. Many in the vicinity of the crimes were afraid to leave their home at night or to leave women at home alone during the day.
Prosecutors said the methods employed by the criminal terrorized the people. All of the crimes took place in the mornings or early afternoons when the men of the house are likely to be away at work, leaving women and children at home.
The first break-in related to this case occurred on Jan. 6 at about 10 a.m. At knife-point, the perpetrator demanded that the woman of the house remove her clothes, threatening to kill her and her children if she didn’t. The woman, who was one of the four who came forward and testified against Khaled, screamed for help and the criminal fled the scene.
An hour later, another house nearby was broken into, but a maid also cried for help and the crook fled the scene.
On Jan. 12, the crime was repeated in the vicinity, but this time the woman was raped. Two days later, another incident occurred nearby, but the woman managed to fight off her attacker.
On the morning of Jan. 15, yet another break-in occurred in the same area. A cell phone and jewelry was taken from the home while everyone was out. A few hours later, another house nearby was burgled. The stolen phone was the key to capturing and linking Khaled to the crimes.
