The Sharjah Court of Appeal has overturned a death sentence previously issued in a murder case after confirming based on an official medical report that the defendant lacked awareness and mental capacity at the time of committing the crime.

The court ruled that the defendant bears no criminal liability due to the absence of criminal intent, while obligating him to pay the Sharia blood money (diya) amounting to AED 200,000, and ordering his deportation from the UAE following payment.
In its reasoning, the court stated that the defendant was suffering from a severe mental disorder schizophrenia, which caused deep delusions and hallucinations.

Medical findings showed that he believed he had received a “divine message” through a bird instructing him to perform a “sacrifice,” and that unseen forces were controlling his phone and hacking his electronic accounts.

He also falsely believed he had designed one of the country’s most prominent landmarks clear indicators of complete detachment from reality at the time of the crime.

Case files revealed that the victim was asleep at the workplace when the incident occurred. The defendant struck him on the head with a metal object, causing instant death.

While the act initially appeared to be a deliberate assault, subsequent investigations uncovered a decisive psychological factor that altered the court’s assessment of criminal intent.

The Court of First Instance had initially sentenced the defendant to death based on confessions and forensic evidence. However, the defense filed an appeal requesting a reassessment of the defendant’s mental competence.

The court approved the request and referred the defendant to a specialized medical committee, which concluded that he was experiencing total loss of awareness and control at the time of the offense.

The court concluded that the mental disorder negated criminal intent, thereby removing criminal responsibility under the law.

However, it emphasized that the absence of awareness does not affect civil liability, ruling that the diya remains payable in accordance with Islamic Sharia and Article 241 of the UAE Criminal Procedure Law.

Accordingly, the court annulled the death sentence, acquitted the defendant of criminal responsibility, ordered payment of the diya, mandated deportation after payment, and set AED 5,000 as legal fees for the court-appointed lawyer, payable from the public treasury.