According to UAE-based The National, the father of eight-year-old Obaida Al Aqrabawi, who was raped and murdered by a Jordanian man in May last year, has refused to accept a 600,000 dirhams settlement, known as 'blood money'.
The newspaper reports that Ibrahim Al Aqrabawi, the father of the victim, said that some people thought he was waiting for the 'right' price in compensation for his son’s murder by Nedal Issa Abdullah.
However, he continued by stating that "not for all the money in the world would I sell my son’s blood, that's why I refused a JOD120,000 cheque (600,000 dirhams) offered by the killer’s family and tore it up into pieces".
The killers family had approached Obaida's father a few months ago and offered the money as a settlement but he refused without hesitation.
It has also been reported that another meeting was held in the city of Al Zarqa in Jordan whereby a delegation from the killer’s family, reputable elders, and high profile personalities including Fatah Central Committee member, Abbas Zaki, gathered to strike an agreement to prevent retaliatory attacks.
At the time, Mr. Zaki spoke on behalf of Abdullah's tribe and condemned the shocking crime and representatives of both families signed an agreement that would ensure that no revenge killings would occur.
In Jordan, settlement meetings related to murders are known as 'Atwah'. In such cases, an offer of money in compensation for a grievance is made by the family of the offender in order to prevent retaliation.
In May 2016, Abdullah was found guilty of sexually assaulting and raping Obaida Al Aqrabawi, an 8-year-old Jordanian boy who was kidnapped by while playing outside his father’s garage in Sharjah’s industrial area.
A Dubai Municipality worker discovered his body in the Al Warqa area in Dubai two days after he went missing. Abdullah was arrested, tried, and convicted of raping and murdering Obaida.
In February, Dubai's Cassation Court rejected an appeal presented by the convict, upholding the capital punishment ruling given by the two lower courts.
As per Article 67 of the UAE Federal Penal Code, a death penalty ruling must be approved by the emirate's ruler and the president of the country before it can be carried out. The official method of execution is firing squad.
Ibrahim Al Aqrabawi was present at the execution, alongside two of Obaida's uncles. At the time of the execution, Aqrabawi told The National that Abdullah asked for forgiveness moments before his death, something he refused to give him.
"The fire inside our chests is now cooler. We were comforted by many high ranking officials who confirmed to us that justice would be served and today it most certainly was," the father said.
Aqrabawi added that three bullets were shot into Abdullah's chest but failed to kill him. This was followed by another shot to the head before the doctor declared him dead.
Timeline of the Obaida murder case:
- May 20, 2016 - Eight-year-old Jordanian boy Obaida is kidnapped by Nidal Eisa Abdullah while playing outside his father’s garage in Sharjah’s industrial area
- May 22, 2016 - Dubai Municipality worker finds the body of Obaida under a tree close to Academic City Road in Dubai's Al Warqa area. Subsequently, Nidal Eisa Abdullah is arrested.
- May 23, 2016 - Obaida’s funeral is held in Sharjah.
- May 24, 2016 - Accused admits to kidnapping boy in his car, trying to rape him and killing him.
- May 25, 2016 - Dubai Police appoint an officer to assist Obaida’s family.
- May 29, 2016 - His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, offers condolences to Obaida’s family.
- June 1, 2016 - Advocate Obaid Al Mazimi assigned to represent Obaida’s family.
- June 15, 2016 - Prosecutors seek the death penalty.
- June 20, 2016 - Accused pleads guilty and admits to raping and strangling Obaida in the back seat of his car.
- July 11, 2016 - Court appoints advocate Omran Darwish to defend the accused.
- August 8, 2016 - Accused tells the court that he tried to kill himself. He claims that he does not remember what happened on May 20, the day of the incident.
- August 15, 2016 - Dubai Court of First Instance hands out the death sentence to Nidal Eisa Abdullah.
- September 25, 2016 - The death row convict denies kidnapping and raping the boy in the Appeals Court but pleads guilty to murdering the victim.
- October 9, 2016 - Court-appointed advocate asks to be excused from defending the accused.
- October 23, 2016 - Dubai Appeals Court refers the death row convict to be examined by a special panel of psychiatrists to evaluate his mental condition.
- December 22, 2016 - Convict was aware of his actions when he committed the crime, a psychiatric evaluation report reveals.
- January 22, 2017 - Dubai Appeals Court upholds capital punishment for Obaida’s killer.
- February 27, 2017 - Accused loses his final appeal and has to face the firing squad for kidnapping, raping and killing Obaida.
- November 23, 2017 - Death row convict Nidal Eisa Abdullah is executed.