Trivial theft escalates into fatal assault

TDT| Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Cigarettes, a juice box, and a sandwich, together worth no more than 600 fils, ended with a worker’s death and a man’s life sentence.

The Court of Cassation has upheld rulings by the First Instance and High Criminal Appeals Courts, confirming the life sentence of a man in his thirties convicted of killing a cold store employee in East Riffa.

The case began when the defendant attempted to take the three items without paying. The worker tried to stop him, but the defendant responded with punches and kicks. The blows caused severe injuries that left the victim unconscious outside the shop. He was later taken to hospital, where he died days afterward.

Legal closure

The country’s highest court confirmed that the defendant was criminally responsible at the time. A medical committee ruled out any diminished capacity, stating he was fully aware of his actions. Surveillance footage from a nearby home captured him striking the worker before fleeing with the stolen goods. Investigators later tracked him down with the help of confidential sources.

Payment

The victim’s brother told prosecutors that the defendant, a neighbor, was known for repeatedly taking items without payment. On the day of the incident, when confronted again, he attacked the worker and escaped. The store owner described the victim as a trusted employee who had worked there for years. He recalled the shock of finding him lying motionless outside the cold store, after which he was rushed to hospital.

During questioning, the defendant admitted the theft and assault. Records revealed he had prior cases of stealing from shops and attacking workers.

A grim lesson

What began as an attempt to take items worth 600 fils ended in tragedy, costing one man his life and another his freedom. With the Court of Cassation’s decision, the life sentence is final, closing a case that shows how petty theft can escalate into fatal violence.