Abu Dhabi court hears woman’s disability means she could not have killed

A lawyer said the accused limps and could not have tortured and thrown the victim down the stairs.

ABU DHABI // A woman accused of torturing her husband’s second wife and throwing her down the stairs could not have done it because she has a birth defect, Abu Dhabi criminal court heard on Wednesday.

N S, an Emirati, is accused of torturing the woman, a Yemeni, for years and finally throwing her down the stairs to her death.

Her defence attorney presented a medical report showing she has had a limp since birth and said the deformity makes it difficult for the woman to even get up. Attacking, torturing and killing a person would be out of the question, he said.

Her former husband, A A, an Emirati, is also charged with murdering the victim.

Both were arrested after police found the victim dead in her home in Baniyas.

While there was no forensic evidence linking the husband to the victim’s body, A A allegedly confessed to police that he killed his wife.

He said he arrived home and found the house to be extremely messy with belongings scattered around. So out of rage he beat his wife with his hands, feet and wooden objects, and this caused her death.

He also said he was married to her for six years, but kept her imprisoned at home because she was mentally ill.

Prosecutors said N S also confessed to attacking the victim and her two children, causing them to suffer permanent disabilities.

Both defendants later denied charges in court.

A representative from the victim’s family said they will be seeking the death sentence.