By MD RASOOLDEEN | ARAB NEWS

RIYADH: The family of a Sri Lankan maid who was murdered by a Saudi sponsor’s wife received SR40,000 as compensation for the death, the Sri Lankan Embassy told Arab News here Friday.

The autopsy report of the maid, identified as 36-year-old Pospawalli Selladurai, revealed that she had been murdered.

Al-Jouf police arrested the woman, who is still in remand. She will be released as soon as the paper work is completed following the payment of blood money, which amounts to about $10,650.

“The amount was the best we could extract from the convicted party,” a Sri Lankan diplomat explained on condition of anonymity. He also said the court could later order a lesser amount of money paid.

Earlier this week it was reported that a Saudi woman in Abha — with the help of charitable contributions — paid SR110,000 (about $29,300) in blood money for murdering her Saudi husband. read more

Comments:

It is in a way logical that the blood money for a maid and for a husband should be different, as the salary of each person may be a consideration. On the other hand a consideration may also be: what is the value of freedom of the Saudi Lady (who murdered the maid)? As a comparison: Mr. Dominique Strauss-Khan is paying $ 200’000 per month of his jailers (private security) and $ 50’000 for his New York appartment. Therefore he values his freedom at $ 250’000 per month. How much would be the value of freedom to the Saudi lady? Only 40’000 SR for her whole future life?