GHAZANFAR ALI KHAN ARABNEWS
Friday 16 November 2012
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has delayed the execution of Filipino migrant worker Joselito Zapanta by four more months, giving his family more time to raise blood money to settle the case with the family of his Sudanese victim. “The father of two children, who worked as a construction worker was scheduled for execution on Nov. 14,” said Eric Jocson, chairperson of KGS-Migrante, the largest organization fighting for the rights of Filipinos working abroad.
Jocson expressed thanks and gratitude to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and senior Saudi officials for giving grace period of four months for raising blood money. “This is very good news,” said Jocson, calling on the Philippine government to arrange for blood money.
He said the family of Saleh Imam Ibrahim, the Sudanese national whom Zapanta killed over a dispute on rent payment, also agreed to reduce the blood money from SR 5 million to SR 4 million. Zapanta, a father of two children, was sentenced to death for killing Ibrahim in 2009. He went on the run with Ibrahim’s mobile telephone but was tracked down and tried for murder by a Saudi court. The court handed down the death penalty.
Categories: Arab World, Asia, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Sharia Law
The Muslim Times does not usually bring ‘normal murder stories’. We bring this one to show the difference between ‘Western Law’ and ‘Islamic Law’. The Shariah provides for rights of the victim’s family to choose to forgive, choose ‘blood money’ instead of death penalty.