Three young brothers watched as their father poured chemicals on their mother because she asked for a divorce, a court was told.

Prosecutors told Abu Dhabi Criminal Court that the woman discovered her husband had a second wife, so she wanted to end her marriage. She died in hospital a month after the attack.

The accused, who is Emirati, is on trial for murder.

The court heard that the accused, who had been in prison for drug-related crime and bouncing cheques, went to the home of his first wife and six children upon his release in February after learning that she had discovered his second marriage.

It is claimed that when she asked for a divorce, he attacked her with acid in front of their children, aged between two and 15 – and some of the children tried to stop the attack.

“The man poured a chemical substance on the woman from her head to her feet causing her serious burns all over the body,”  prosecutors told the court.

“Their 15-year-old son and his two younger brothers who were there at the time tried to rescue their mum from their angry father but in vain.”

Investigating officers said the boys sustained minor burns as they tried to stop the man from pouring the chemical on their mother.

The court was told that the boys phoned an ambulance and their mother was transferred to hospital. She spent a month being treated there, but died from her injuries.

Police later arrested the Emirati husband and prosecutors charged him with the premeditated murder of his wife, 34.

The man has not appeared in court since his first hearing, in August, on the grounds that he is ill.

His lawyer told the judge that his client suffers from mental illness and is being treated in the prison hospital.

Lawyer Abiir Obeid Al Damhani, representing the victim’s family, called for the accused to be made to appear before the court.

Al Damhani told 7DAYS that the family of the dead woman will seek the death penalty if he is found guilty of murder.

“The victim’s children want their father to be executed for attacking and killing their mother in their presence,” she said.

“The woman was taking care of her six kids as the man was unemployed.”

Al Damhani noted that the husband was a criminal who had previously been prosecuted over drug related cases and bounced cheques.

The trial was adjourned until December 21.

Author: Ismail Sebugwaawo

Source: 7days.ae