A court in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has sentenced 17 Indians to death for killing a Pakistani national and injuring 3 others in a vicious attack last year--the highest number of death penalties awarded at one time in the Emirate.
Judge Yousuf Al Hamadi of Sharjah's Shariah Court of First Instance on Sunday sentenced the 17 men to death after all evidence, including forensics reports and DNA tests, indicated they had stabbed the Pakistani man to death in January last, 'Khaleej Times' reported on Monday.
During court proceedings, all the suspects confessed to have fought with and murdered the victim following a dispute between members of rival gangs vying to sell illegal liquor to laborers in the Al-Sajaa area of Sharjah.
In the UAE, Sharjah is the only Emirate where the consumption, possession or trade in alcohol is completely banned.
Police said the victim died of his wounds after he was stabbed repeatedly and had also suffered brain damage.
The convicted, aged between 17 and 30 years, had also tried to kill three other compatriots of the victim, but they managed to escape and were rushed to hospital for treatment.
According to the 3 Pakistanis who survived, 50 people attacked them with knives on that fateful day before police arrived and arrested the 17, who had allegedly led the attack.
The others were let off for want of evidence as they were not directly involved in attacking the deceased or the 3 other Pakistanis.
Source: RTT News, March 29, 2010
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