SHARJAH: The Sharjah Criminal Court has sentenced two Emirati footballers to death for the premeditated murder of a compatriot during a street fight.
Fayez Jumaa, who played for the UAE national team, and Mohammed Najeeb, a former player with the Sharjah Club, were sentenced on Tuesday morning.
Fayez’s brother, Mousa, was also awarded capital punishment and six other defendants were handed varying jail terms for abetting the crime.
The murder, which shocked the Emirati football fraternity, occurred in May last year. According to court records, Fayez’s brothers had gotten into a brawl with the victim and his relatives in the Riffa neighborhood.
Later in the evening Fayez, Mohammed and Mousa decided to retaliate and went after victim carrying a sword and knives.
During the ensuing fight, the victim was mortally wounded when he was hit on head with the sword. The accused tried to flee the country but were arrested a few hours later.
Lawyers for the convicts said that they would be appeal the sentence.
Abdul Hamid Al-Kumaity, the lawyer representing the victim’s family, told reporters that his clients were seeking AED1 million compensation “for emotional, psychological and financial damages.” Kumaity said the defendants were drunk when the fight took place.
— With input from agencies
