Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

The Ras Al Khaimah Criminal Court has begun hearings in a triple-murder case that stunned the UAE after a 66-year-old mother and two of her daughters were shot dead in their home. A third daughter survived with injuries. The victims’ family is demanding the death penalty, while the accused—a 55-year-old Yemeni man—has been ordered to undergo a full mental and psychological assessment before the next session. The first hearing took place earlier this week, although the victims' son was unable to attend due to lack of legal representation. The defence lawyer told the court that his client suffers from mental instability and requested he be admitted to a psychiatric hospital for evaluation. The court agreed and postponed further proceedings pending the results.

‘He ran her over and shot her’

Maher Salem Wafai, son of the deceased and brother to the victims, told media that the incident began with an argument in the driveway before the suspect opened fire. Wafai said that 38-year-old Yasmin was the first victim and was shot in the head after the attacker ran her over. When another sister tried to help, he shot her too. "My mother and another sister were also killed as they tried to escape,” he said. A fourth sister, aged 47, survived but remains traumatised. An 11-year-old boy — the son of one of the victims — witnessed the attack and fled as the gunman attempted to shoot him. Authorities said the dispute reportedly stemmed from the suspect complaining about a blocked driveway. Read more All his sisters have children whose lives "have been shattered" following their death, Wafai said. Despite the unimaginable loss, he expressed confidence in the UAE’s justice system, adding that "justice will be served." Prosecutors completed their investigation earlier and referred the case to court. Hearings will continue as the court examines evidence, witness testimony and the results of the psychiatric evaluation. ICA/Expat Media
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