SAUDI ARABIA: COURT UPHOLDS DEATH VERDICT ON ‘ABU KAB’

the General Court in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, upheld the death sentence it previously passed on Faisal Al-Otaibi (also known as Abu Kab), who was convicted of killing three children while joyriding in the northern part of Jeddah Corniche in 2005. In February this year, the General Court found Abu Kab, a naval officer by profession, guilty of criminal negligence and sentenced him to death. Abu Kab appealed in the Court of Cassation, which annulled the sentence and sent the case back to the General Court for reconsideration. However, three judges at the court reaffirmed their earlier sentencing and refused to show leniency. The high-profile case of Abu Kab began in late 2005 when the young naval officer rented a car and took four young boys with him joyriding. Abu Kab performed a drifting stunt at 120 kmph that resulted in a crash and the death of his three passengers. According to Saudi law, capital punishment has to be endorsed by the Court of Cassation before being executed. However, in this case the cassation court found the death sentence far too severe for the crime. According to legal experts, this is the first time a joyrider has been sentenced to death. In all similar cases in the past, joyriders have been sentenced to jail for periods ranging between six months and one year and asked to pay blood money. Khaled Abu Rashed, Abu Kab’s lawyer, added that the public prosecutor did not produce witnesses at the court for reexamination.