Abdul Raheem’s release to be delayed again; case postponed to 11th time

RIYADH: The release of Abdul Raheem of Feroke in Kozhikode, jailed in Riyadh is further delayed. The criminal court in Riyadh is postponing the case for the 11th time. The sitting began at 8 am on Monday, but was postponed to another day. It is not clear when the case will be considered again. Even after the case was considered ten times earlier, the decision on his release was delayed due to various reasons.

The court had avoided death penalty five months ago after the prosecution accepted blood money and pardoned him. However, the pending case under public law is causing the release to be indefinitely delayed. Raheem has been in prison in Riyadh for 19 years. Since he has been in prison for 19 years, even if he is sentenced to prison, Abdul Raheem will not have to remain in prison for much longer.

Abdul Raheem was jailed in December 2006 for the murder of Saudi boy Anas Al-Shahiri. After 18 years, the family of the victim granted him a pardon after receiving blood money of Rs 34 crore, which relieved Raheem from the death sentence. Raheem was imprisoned for the murder case less than a month after he got a job as a driver in 2006 and arrived in Riyadh.