Police in Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia on Sunday evening arrested a Kenyan woman who allegedly murdered her fellow citizen.
The woman, only identified as Ms Mercy alias Saumu, was arrested by police officers and taken into custody following the incident which was captured in an amateur video.
Nairobi News has established that the deceased lady is known as Maureen.
In a statement, Riyadh Police Region said the two had a dispute but did not five the finer details of the dispute.
“Security patrols in the Ritadh Region arrested a resident of Kenyan nationality, who assaulted another of the same nationality, which led to her death, following a dispute between them,” the police said in the statement.
The incident, which was captured in a viral video, has attracted condemnation from Kenyans living in Saudi Arabia.
In the video, Ms Saumu is seen savagely attacking Ms Maureen on a main road. She repeatedly slams the head of the deceased on the tarmac before kicking and stepping on her face.
The attack goes on until motorists stop at the scene and move towards where the commotion is taking place before the assailants walks away.
Those who captured the video, appear to be residing on a building close to the tarmacked road and can be screaming at the assailant to stop the attack.
“Saumu wacha! Wewe Saumu! Saumu!” a group of women are heard wailing.
Police in Saudi Arabia reveal that the victim died while receiving treatment at a local hospital.
According to the Saudi Arabian law, murder attracts a death penalty and already those are the charges the suspect is facing.
“Rape, murder, apostasy, sedition, sorcery, armed robbery, adultery and drug trafficking are all punishable by death in Saudi Arabia [and by Daesh]. While some of these crimes, such as premeditated murder, carry fixed punishments under Saudi shariah [Islamic law], others, such as drug-related offenses, are considered ta’zir, with neither the crime nor the punishment defined in Islam,” Saudi Arabian law states.
The imposition of capital punishment is subject to considerable judicial discretion in the courts. Defendants are able to appeal their sentences. The law requires a five-judge appellate court to affirm a death sentence, which a five-judge panel of the Supreme Court must unanimously affirm.
It is to this effect that Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Dr Alfred Mutua introduced toll free numbers which Kenyans suffering in the gulf can reach out to the Kenyan government for help.
The numbers 966 500 755 060 or 19911 (toll-free) work round the clock.
“There are people manning the lines 24-7 and will respond. If they don’t just write to me as the CS and I will fire them. Because as a government we want Kenyans to be supported,” Dr Mutua said.
Dr Mutua said he had raised the concerns with the Saudi Arabian government and was tasked to share the details of bosses mistreating Kenyans which proved futile.
He also said the Saudi Arabian government has committed to arrest those who will be found breaking the law.
Dr Mutua said he met Kenyans in Saudi Arabia who were doing well and sending lots of money back to Kenya.
