Doha Times
Doha, Jun 20: An Indian expatriate has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his cousin.
A Doha court heard that Mousa killed his relative by throwing him off the balcony of their accommodation in the Doha Jadeed area in May 2005.
Throughout the trial, he denied murder, claiming instead that his cousin Thundiyil Saleem died as a result of a bad dream.
Mousa said he had woken from a nightmare believing someone was trying to kill him.
As he ran towards the balcony his 26-year-old relative tried to restrain him. He claimed he was still caught up in his dream.
A psychologist told the court: “The accused told me that when the victim tried to hold him back he thought it was the same person that he saw in the dream. He told me that he dragged the victim by the leg and threw him down from the balcony.”
However, the medical expert, who interviewed Mousa three months after the incident, said tests had proved he was aware of his surroundings when Saleem died.
The expert said the accused suffered from a sleep disorder, but she pointed out that he had never harmed anyone.
She added: “Records showed that he never visited a psychology clinic as he had benefited from traditional medicines. His roommates used to wake him up when he suffered serious attacks.”
The court’s verdict was adjourned many times as the authorities struggled to track down the deceased’s family.
The judge also ordered that any demand for blood money would now be decided on by a civil court.
Saleem and Mousa were maternal cousins who lived together, along with their families. According to a third room mate, they both worked as waiters at a juice stall.
A resident living a floor below the pair had been the one to discover Saleem’s body, telling the court that it had “lain away from the building”.
It was originally believed that Saleem had fallen from the balcony, but a police investigation concluded that he had been murdered.
After being found guilty, Mousa launched an appeal. A final decision will be made later this month.