A MAN who stabbed his brother to death with a samurai sword has been sentenced to life in prison.
The High Criminal Court found the 30-year-old Bahraini guilty of premeditated murder, though he denied the charges during his first appearance in court in February this year.
Life sentence in Bahrain means 25 years behind bars.
The GDN reported previously that judges at the court were told that, according to a witness, the defendant had smiled after hearing that 38-year-old Masood Hassan had succumbed to his injuries.
The attack took place shortly after a brawl broke out between the brothers inside their Jid Ali family home on December 14 last year.
The accused had reportedly cut off his brother’s fingers, severed his hand with the sword leaving him with 52 stab and cut wounds.
The defendant was also sentenced to an additional 12 months behind bars yesterday for possessing and using hashish, a BD1,000 fine and his sword was confiscated.
In its ruling the court said that, given the circumstances and specifics of the case, it had decided to implement Article 72 of the 1976 Penal Code which allows for clemency based on the discretion of the judges.
“Given the circumstances of the case and the victim’s family relinquishing its private dues the court decided to sentence him to life imprisonment,” said the ruling.
“The court also took into account the statements of the accused’s mother and sister who said he was the only breadwinner for the family and took care of his mother and respected her.
“According to the testimony of all the witnesses before the court, the accused is of good conduct.”
Court documents revealed that since 2012 the brothers constantly brawled over financial and family issues with the victim allegedly “constantly beating and insulting his 30-year-old brother”.
The GDN previously reported that the court was told the defendant had initially told prosecutors that he planned to kill his brother after hearing he was being released from jail.
He claimed that his brother had caused problems for his family and needed to die.
A medical examiner’s report, attached to court documents, revealed that the victim had suffered 52 stab and cut wounds.
He had also suffered multiple defensive wounds – losing several fingers with his left hand being severed by the ferocity of the assault.
In a previous hearing, the defendant told the court that he was in a ‘hysterical state’ on the date of the incident.
He told judges that his brother had threatened to “poke his eyes out and cut open his stomach and burn his insides” while also stating that his job as an air traffic controller spoke of his responsibility and conscientiousness.
“I authorise every flight that lands at Bahrain International Airport and I’m also trusted with valuable items transported through the airport – including containers of gold,” he said in his statement to the court.
“I’ve been doing this job for 10 years, never getting into trouble, and I don’t waste my time on the streets with the boys or have any psychological problems.
“My brother has strangled our mother before and he also taunted my father even when he was on his deathbed.”
The defence lawyer had previously told the court that the victim had verbally and physically abused his parents for years and that he had been “in and out of jail” on drug-related charges since early youth.
Meanwhile, the Family and Child Prosecution acting head said yesterday that the Public Prosecution launched an investigation as soon as it was informed of the murder.
Investigators went to the crime scene to examine the body while crime scene experts collected samples and traces.
A forensic pathologist was also appointed to examine the body.
“The Public Prosecution interrogated the accused who admitted that he had committed the crime during an argument with his brother,” said the official in a statement.
“He justified the crime by stating that they had personal issues between them.
“A simulation of the crime was also conducted.”
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