Footballer's appeal verdict due in August

UAE national team player has been sentenced to death after being convicted with two other men of murder.

SHARJAH // The final verdict against a UAE national team footballer sentenced to death for murder will be delivered next month. The player, FK, 27, was condemned in March with his brother MK, and another Sharjah club footballer, MJ, for killing their neighbour JJ, an Emirati, on April 15 last year. The family of FK had appealed against the sentence. The Sharjah Court of Appeal yesterday said the appeal verdict would be delivered on August 12.

Abdul Hamid al Kumity, the victim's lawyer, said after the hearing that the family was eagerly awaiting the appeal judgment next month. The first ruling was passed by three judges, led by Judge Halimi Abdul Azim, after several months of hearing evidence. According to police reports, the three men overpowered JJ during a fight in Sharjah's Riffa area. They then threw him to the ground and stabbed him in the face with a knife, police said.

In a statement signed by Abu Ezza, Sharjah's attorney general, when the case was referred to court, he said they stabbed JJ four times. @Email:[e-mail]