Murder in Riffa: Trial to commence tomorrow

Manama: The trial of a Bangladeshi man suspected of murdering a fellow countryman in Riffa will begin tomorrow. The 44-year-old man was killed in Riffa by the defendant, aged 30, who told prosecutors that he had paid BD1,200 to the victim to facilitate his arrival in Bahrain and work as an electrical technician. 

According to the defendant’s statement, he was employed in a construction company, where he had been working for 15 hours daily, though he originally had an agreement with the victim to work only for eight hours. 

“I told him to change my situation. But he threatened me that he would tell my father that my mother was involved in prostitution,” the defendant told prosecutors. Defendant’s mother is working in Bahrain as a maid. 

The duo, according to court documents, were living in the same room, and the defendant told prosecutors that he was attacked by the victim with a plank. “He was cooking outside the room, and he suddenly attacked me with a plank. So I stabbed him with a knife,” he added. 

However, a local lawyer close to the victim earlier stated he had received threats from the alleged killer on the eve of the crime. The lawyer, Manar Al Tamimi, said during her testimony before the Public Prosecution that the alleged murderer and his mother embezzled BD2,000 from the victim, who gave it to them to buy a plot of land to make it a farm. “As a result of his endeavour to enter into a legal battle against them, they threatened the victim.” 

The victim was serving in a company belonging to one of the lawyer’s relatives, who died later. So his work permit was transferred to another employer. “The victim approached me to file a complaint against the defendant and his mother as they pocketed BD2,000 he gave them as down payment for the plot. He feared that they would leave Bahrain without paying the money,” the lawyer told prosecutors.

“After a few days, he informed me that he had received threats from them. Next day I heard that he was stabbed to death,” she added.