The Saudi employer of an Asian man who allegedly killed his wife and four daughters said Wednesday that the accused had told the police that he had a dream which he interpreted as an indication of his death in two days.

“Since he did not want to leave his family alone with no one to care for them, he killed them, then went to the Grand Mosque to perform Umrah and pray before turning himself in to the Haram’s police station,” said Ali Al-Ghamdi, the employer.

He said the 41-year-old Burmese man Abulkalam Mutea Alrahman had enjoyed a good reputation and was known for being punctual in prayers and his honesty. When Mutea Alrahman memorized the Holy Qur’an the employer transferred his employment to his sponsorship as a personal driver, in which capacity he worked for eight years. He used to attend religious symposiums and lectures arranged for foreign communities and did not show any sign of mental disorder, according to Al-Ghamdi. “He is devastated and doesn’t believe he did it,” Al-Ghamdi said.

Psychologist Samira Al-Ghamdi, a founding member of Himaya Association, accused some of the so-called dream interpreters who appear on TV of causing distress and emotional problems to the recipients and warned people to be rational in their views.