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A MAN jailed for life for brutally killing his girlfriend in a frenzied knife attack has run out of appeals against his sentence.
The 30-year-old Bahraini was found guilty of stabbing Filipina Gina Canete Calico, who also went by the name Zairah Canete, repeatedly in the neck in her Busaiteen apartment on August 29, 2017.
One of her eyes was gouged out and her body was not discovered until September 1, 2017, when a concerned friend called the authorities after being unable to contact her.
The defendant was arrested after witnesses placed his car, a white Honda Civic, outside the victim’s apartment building on the night she was killed.
After murdering Ms Calico, the defendant was said to have returned to his home, in Sanabis, where he showered, put on his dead father’s clothes and tried to strangle another woman in the street – accusing her of practising black magic.
He was convicted of premeditated murder and jailed for life – which carries a 25-year prison sentence – by the High Criminal Court in January last year.
He then lodged an appeal against his conviction at the Supreme Criminal Appeals Court which was rejected.
A final appeal at the Cassation Court was also rejected yesterday.
This means he has no more chances to lodge an appeal against his conviction.
“The defendant was found guilty of his charges and lost his final appeal at the Cassation Court,” read the Cassation Court ruling. The defendant stabbed the woman viciously to make sure she was dead.
“He slit her throat several times and gouged her eyes out.
“The defendant was found guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced to life in prison due to sufficient evidence presented by prosecutors along with his confession.
“The defendant does not suffer from any mental illnesses and was held responsible for his actions.”
The defendant’s brother previously described to prosecutors how the accused was in an abnormal state the day he committed the murder.
Psychosis
The defendant’s mother, who earlier took the stand in court, also said that her son’s behaviour had deteriorated since his father died on July 31, 2017.
The defence lawyer had argued that his client suffered from psychosis and could not be held responsible for his actions.
However, several doctors from a medical panel previously told the High Criminal Court that the defendant did not display any signs of mental illness.
During questioning, the defendant claimed he killed Ms Calico because she was pestering him for sex.
The defendant was working in a restaurant kitchen and said he met the victim through his ex-girlfriend, who moved back to the Philippines.
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