RIYADH, 5 September 2007 — An Indian couple who have been in a Riyadh jail for the past 14 months on charges of murdering their Nepalese maid have reportedly come to a settlement with the family of the victim. The settlement was made through officials of the missions of India and Nepal at the urging of the Riyadh court. No details were provided on the nature of the settlement.
“The Nepalese Embassy is happy that an out-of-court settlement has been reached and the rights of the maid have also been given,” said Prakash Kumar Suvedi, charge d’affaires at the Nepalese Embassy.
Rajeev Shahare, deputy chief of the Indian mission, said he was hopeful that the ordeal of the Indian couple would come to an end soon.
“The two embassies are in close consultations with the families with all intentions to solve the case and possibly to secure the release of the couple,” he said.
Suvedi said that even if the family of the victim has agreed to the settlement on their private rights, the Indian couple might still face action in Saudi courts.
Roy Thomas, an employee of Saudi Binladen Co., and his wife Biji, a nurse, were detained on July 7, 2006, after the maid was found dead in mysterious circumstances. The Indian couple’s mobile phone and house keys were found with the body. The couple, who hired the runaway maid some eight months before their arrest, maintain their innocence.
There are still several unanswered questions, like how the crime was committed and why. At the time of their arrest, the couple had 18-month-old twins who were placed in the care of family friends until they were sent back to India with the permission of the authorities.
The crime has put the spotlight once again on the vulnerability of illegal workers, particularly domestic servants, who are sometimes hired by Saudi and expatriate families.
