Emirati father to face firing squad for torturing daughter

An Emirati father who tortured his daughter to death has been sentenced to death by firing squad, UAE daily 7Days reported on Wednesday.

The Dubai Court of First Instance found Hamad Saod, 29, guilty of torturing and murdering his eight-year-old daughter, Wadeema.

Saod's lover and co-defendant, Al Anood Mohammad Al Ameri, 27, was also found guility and sentenced to life in prison. She gave birth to a son in custody.

The pair were cleared of hiding the girl's body, which was discovered in the desert three months after she was killed.

UAE daily Gulf News reported the judgement remains subject to appeal within 15 days.

Wadeema and her seven-year-old sister, Meyra, were subjected to severe physical abuse, includng being beaten iron rods and scalded with boiling water.

The crime was uncovered only after Meyra, who was left with 10% permanent disability, told a relative of the six-month ordeal.

Meyra said the last time she saw her sister was when her unconscious body was carried out their studio flat in International City.

During the trial, police revealed the horrific conditions of the flat where the girls were tortured.

“We found a bar used to beat the girls and two irons used to burn and torture them. There was only one bed and that meant the girls were sleeping on floor,” a police officer testified.

The shocking case prompted UAE Vice President and Dubai ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to issue a new child abuse law named after Wadeema.