Maid's death sentence commuted
2007-12-09 21:43
Kuwait City - Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah agreed on Sunday to commute the death sentence on a Filipina maid to life in prison after a personal appeal by the visiting Philippine president.
"Normally I don't interfere in the judicial process. We have a separate judicial system," Philippines presidential spokesperson Ignacio Bunye quoted the emir as saying during a meeting with visiting President Gloria Arroyo.
"But since you are here to personally appeal for her, I will not sign the decree of execution. That is within my power," Bunye quoted Sheikh Sabah as telling Arroyo during their brief meeting.
Arroyo arrived in Kuwait on Sunday on a day-long visit to the Gulf state to urge that the death sentence passed on Marilou Ranario, who was convicted of killing her female Kuwaiti employer, be commuted.
- AFP