Kochi: Mother of 34-year-old nurse from Kerala facing death sentence in Yemen for murdering a Yemeni national, said she wants to meet the victim's family and plead forgiveness on her daughter's behalf. She said her daughter did not commit the murder but got convicted as she failed to arrange a lawyer.
Nimisha Priya was convicted for murdering Yemeni national Thalal Abdu Mehadi, who passed away in July 2017. Priya has been sentenced to death. Priya's mother Premakumari told ETV Bharat that she wants to meet Mehadi's family and is hopeful that they would forgive her daughter.
Earlier, the central government had rejected Premakumari and 'Save Nimisha Priya' Forum's requests for visiting Yemen on the ground that India does not have a diplomatic presence in that country. Following which, Premakumari approached the Delhi High Court requesting help to save her daughter's life and seeking permission to go to Yemen. Although the central government opposed Premakumari's plea, the court sought a list of those going to Yemen after hearing the mother's argument.
Expressing her hopes on court intervention, Premakumari said, "If the court gives permission, I and Priya's 11-year-old daughter will go to Yemen. I am hopeful that Mehadi's family will not abandon us". The woman has even sold her own bedstead to continue her legal battle for her daughter's release.
Premakumari, who works as a domestic worker in Kochi said, "I am suffering mental trauma over my daughter's condition. Every moment of the last five years, I have been thinking about my daughter. She told me that she has not killed anyone. I also believe that she cannot kill anyone. My daughter was unable to commission a lawyer in the trial court to prove her innocence".
Premakumari said when she arrives in Yemen, she will first the slain Yemeni national's family members and then visit her daughter. She said she was indebted to the Yemen government for allowing her daughter a chance to live till for the last five years. The last time Priya called, she said that she was in a lot of trouble, Premakumari recalled adding that Priya told her that even if she died, the world should know the truth about her innocence.
Premakumari said that she is ready to do whatever Mehadi's family wants. "My granddaughter is turning 11 on the 27th of this month. I appeal that my daughter be granted life for the sake of her child," she said. She said that her lawyer has assured her that all the obstacles would be removed and she would be able to go to Yemen.
Priya, a native of Kollengode in Kerala's Palakkad district went to Yemen in 2012 and worked as a nurse. Her husband Tommy too went to Yemen for work. Later, Priya started a clinic in partnership with slain Talal Abdu Mahdi. After a few days, Priya's husband and daughter returned home but as war broke out in Yemen, Priya could not make her way to India.
It was learnt that Priya and another Yemeni girl were allegedly physically and mentally tortured by Mahdi, who had also seized their passports. Unable to tolerate the harassment, the two escaped with their passports allegedly after injecting Mahdi with sedatives. But, they were caught by the police from the border and were lodged in jail.
In the meantime, Mahdi's body was recovered from the clinic in a mutilated state and they were charged with murder. Priya failed to convince the Yemeni trial court that she had not killed the Yemeni citizen and was sentenced to death while the Yemeni woman was sentenced to life imprisonment. Following the trial court verdict, Priya approached Yemeni Supreme Court against the order, but her plea was rejected.
Priya can escape death penalty only if the heirs of the deceased grant pardon. According to Sharia law, which is followed in Yeman, Priya can secure pardon by paying "blood money" to the deceased's family.
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