A man has gone on trial at the High Criminal Court accused of biting off part of his family’s domestic worker’s ear.
He has been charged with assault causing permanent injury after medical experts assessed the Filipina victim’s condition as a ‘seven per cent disability’, following the loss of one-third of her left ear.
The court heard that the 35-year-old defendant had a history of psychiatric illness.
His sisters alleged that the maid had ‘cast a spell on the house’, which they claimed caused their brother to behave erratically.
Court files included a photograph of the severed ear, along with images showing the alleged victim covered in blood and the trail of blood left at the scene.
“It was 9.15am and I was cleaning the living room when the defendant came and asked where his phone was,” the 47-year-old Filipina testified.
“I told him it was in his hand, which made him extremely angry. He looked at me as if he was about to attack me, and I became scared. So I ran to the kitchen to call for help.
“He ran after me and pulled the phone from my hand. I asked for it back but he refused, so I took his phone. I said I would return it if he gave me mine.
“He pushed me and I fell. He beat me, sat on my back and injured my ear. His sisters then pulled me away from him. When I looked at him, I saw some of my hair in his mouth.
“His sister took me to the kitchen and tended to my wounds. When I returned to the living room, I saw a piece of my ear on the floor next to a knife.”
The defendant’s sister, who administered first aid after the incident, told the court that the victim had worked at their East Riffa home for 23 years.
“The morning of the incident, I was woken by the victim’s screams and went downstairs to see what was happening,” the 24-year-old psychologist told prosecutors.
“I went to the living room and saw my brother grabbing the maid by the neck, asking for his phone. He had hair in his mouth. I returned both of their phones, and my brother took his belongings and left.
“The maid was holding her ear and said he had bitten it. When she removed her hand, I saw that a large part was missing. I later noticed a piece of skin on the floor.”
In her statement to the Public Prosecution, she also claimed that the victim had an unusual interest in black magic, sorcery and jinn.
“I am bewildered by some of her behaviour. She controls certain things in the house, such as the placement of furniture, and no one can question her,” the Bahraini said.
“I believe she cast a spell on the house to make everyone obey her.”
A medical report stated that the woman lost a significant part of her left pinna – the external part of the ear – likely caused by “a bite of great force”. She was referred for plastic surgery.
The defendant admitted the charges during Public Prosecution questioning, claiming it must have been a mistake.
The trial continues.
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