Today, the Ministry of Interior executed a death sentence in the Mecca region for Bandar bin Ali bin Muhammad Al-Zahrani, a Saudi national, who had murdered his three daughters, aged six, four, and two, by stabbing them with a knife. Security authorities apprehended the perpetrator, and the investigation led to charges against him for committing the crime. He was referred to the juvenile court, where a verdict confirming the allegations against him was issued.
Due to the heinous nature of this crime, he was sentenced to capital punishment, which was upheld by the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court. A royal order was issued to enforce the legally determined consequence, which was carried out today, Wednesday, the 13th of Sha'ban, 1443 AH, corresponding to March 16, 2022, in the Mecca region.
The incident dates back to 2018 when the neighborhood of Al-Malawi in Mecca was shocked by the screams of a mother seeking help after her husband entered their home in a hysterical state and slaughtered their three daughters. It has been reported that the mother, of African nationality, was admitted to King Faisal Hospital in Mecca due to severe psychological distress. Sources indicated that family disputes were the cause of the crime.
In the harrowing details of this tragedy, the father left the house with blood covering his clothes while the mother was in complete despair. Her cries were unable to save her daughters during the father's psychological breakdown. The children were attacked one by one as the father invaded their room with a knife, while the mother managed to escape and called for help from passersby.
One neighbor contacted the unified operations center and, with the assistance of a passerby, managed to enter the building and subdue the perpetrator in the presence of a security patrol. It was revealed that the assailant was 33 years old, and initial information indicated that he was a drug user.
