DUBAI, February 7 2005
A 22-year-old woman from Hyderabad, convicted of
murdering her elderly Arab husband, received a new
lease of life when the relatives of the husband dropped
their demand for the death penalty in exchange for
blood money.
The Indian Association in the Emirate of Ras al Khaimah
in the UAE, which paid an advance of Dh 10,000 towards
the Dh 75,000 demanded by the relatives, has obtained
a written agreement to spare the life of Fatima Begum
Abdul Qayum, who was married to the 80-year old Arab
when she was 15.
The Sharia Court had sentenced her to death in 1997,
which the appeal court had subsequently upheld. Fatima
had denied the crime and claimed one of her family
members had killed her husband but could not provide
proof to the court.
The association, which is expecting the release order
for submission to prison authorities, is making arrangements
for Fatima to fly home. It had been able to negotiate
and bring down the family's original demand of Dh
150,000 in blood money.
Fatima, who has been on the death row for the last
seven years, was still unable to believe her luck.
''I don't believe that at last I will be able to
go back to my home country and peacefully live among
the people with whom I share deep and sincere feelings
of love,'' she said.
She said she was forced to marry the old man under
the 'compulsion' of poverty. (UNI)
