Legal issue stalls planned repatriation of corpse of Filipina worker murdered and mutilated in Dubai

  DUBAI – A legal issue has stalled the planned repatriation of the remains of murdered Filipina Maria Normita De Lima to the Philippines. De Lima’s widower, Salvio, had waited for more than a week in Dubai to bring home her corpse. Salvio arrived in the emirate with his older brother on October 31 with the assistance of the Philippine government and the consulate general in Dubai. He flew back to the Philippines on Thursday night after it became clear that his wife’s body could not yet be released. Officials said that the case had to be transferred to the Abu Dhabi Public Prosecution since the crime happened in Abu Dhabi. Legal procedures needed to be completed before a clearance could be issued for the repatriation of Normita’s body. Normita, 46, was found dead in a deserted area in Al Warqa’a in May. It took the police three months of intensive investigation to establish her identity and arrest the murder suspect since Normita was decapitated and both her hands were chopped off. During police interrogation, the suspect—her nephew who worked in Dubai—admitted that he killed her in Abu Dhabi over a Dh10,000 loan, then chopped off her head and hands before burning the severed body parts and burying them in Ajman. He then allegedly dumped her body in Dubai. Speaking to reporters at the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai on Thursday, Salvio said he was “deeply saddened” he could not bring home Normita's remains. He was also unable to view her corpse. “I was told that the remains were ready for transfer any time and could not be opened any more,” Salvio said. Salvio also said he was able to meet the suspect, who is currently in police detention. He did not disclose details about their meeting. Salvio had said he wanted the maximum punishment for his wife’s killer. DAJ/Expat Media Also read I also need justice: husband of Filipina murdered in Dubai Untold story: Filipina murdered, beheaded in Dubai Beheaded Filipina's gruesome murder 'not reflective of Filipino culture'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