Three Emirati brothers have been sentenced to death for murdering two Omanis in Al Ain, the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court announced on Thursday.
The two Omanis were killed in revenge for the death of the men’s 19-year-old brother, who died in Oman in August 2009. A fourth brother was charged but later acquitted.
The brothers shot the two men after ramming their car in Al Jimi in Al Ain. The two men were the brother and cousin of two men who had previously been sentenced to life in jail for causing the death of the Emirati men’s teenage brother.
According to the lawyer of the accused Emiratis, a report from etisalat on the brothers’ phone calls on the day of the killings and a traffic police report on the movement of their cars was requested earlier as evidence.
The murdered Emirati teenager, had been invited by two men to Al Bureimi to taste a drink that was thought to bring luck. He died after drinking it.
The two men were sentenced to life in prison and also ordered to pay blood money. The dead teenager’s father was not satisfied and appealed the verdict, but this was turned down.
The Omani court did not issue a death sentence which drove the brothers to seek revenge.
The court also sentenced the three men to six months in prison for possessing weapons and ammunition without a licence
Additionally, the first defendant was sentenced to an additional three months in jail for performing an indecent act with a Dh500 fine for driving recklessly and one year for possessing psychotropic substances.
The verdict is subject to appeal.
