By NOOR TOORANI
MANAMA -- A BAHRAINI yesterday denied murdering his brother's housemaid by slitting her throat, after trying in vain to strangle her. The 38-year-old man allegedly attacked Indonesian Ami Tursiya Takiyat, 29, at the family home in Sitra, last September.
He appeared before the High Criminal Court for the first time yesterday.
Defence lawyer Fatima Al Hawaj asked the court for copies of the case file for further study and to release her client from custody.
"I request the court to release my client from custody as he is a Bahraini citizen and doesn't have a prior criminal record," she told the court.
"He has also denied the crime from the beginning and will not flee the country."
The government health service nurse is charged with premeditated murder as he allegedly tried to strangle his brother's housemaid and when she didn't die, he slit her throat, the court heard.
Judges adjourned the case to February 9 to summon witnesses for cross-examination, to provide Ms Al Hawaj with the case files and to review the request for bail.
The defendant's relatives were in court and were allowed to embrace him as he was leaving the courtroom, under police escort.
He was arrested within 24 hours of the attack, after allegedly being spotted trying to dump the body on a wasteland in Sitra.
An Asian man, believed to have seen the woman's body being dumped in a shrubland near the Sitra coastline on September 23, was questioned by the Public Prosecution.
The GDN had earlier reported that Ms Takiyat's sponsor fought in vain to save her life as she was attacked.
It is believed Ms Takiyat was still alive but bleeding from a slit throat, as her attacker dragged her from the family home, near the Toyota showroom in Sitra.
Her sponsor was sprayed with blood as he tried to intervene in the attack, but was pulled back by other family members.
His relatives allegedly told him to keep quiet about the attack and he later phoned the local recruiting agency through which he had employed her, saying she had run away. noor@gdn .com.bh
