Doha

A Lower Court in Doha has awarded the death penalty to three Asian men after they were found guilty of killing an elderly Qatari woman at her home in the city's New Salata Area some three years ago.
The crime took place in early 2012 when the trio allegedly broke into the house where the victim was staying alone.
According to Doha News, which broke the story of the sentencing, the accused used to work at a construction site near the victim's house. The men were familiar with the layout of the house as the lady had invited them for meals during Ramadan.
On the fateful night , the octogenarian lady, who was sleeping in her room on the ground floor, woke up and raised an alarm after learning that some people had entered her house. But she was stabbed to death by the intruders who had robbery in their mind. However, she was was able to alert her Ethiopian maid, who was sleeping on the first floor.
Though the maid was also attacked by the burglars she was able to lock
herself in and call her sponsor's family for help.
The assailants had fled before the police arrived on the scene. The suspects were apprehended by the police three days after the incident.
During interrogation they confessed to the crime. The police recovered the knives used for the heinous act from a location in Al Wakrah. The men were reportedly not able to lay their hands on any valuables, Doha News said.
The defendants, who are learnt to be in their 20s, are likely to appeal the verdict.
Though the report identified the three convicts as Indians , a spokesman for the Indian embassy said he had no knowledge of any Indian national involved in the case. The official said he had visited the Central Prison a few times in the last three months but had not come across any of his compatriot being held there on such charges.
A lawyer who usually appears for Indian nationals in such cases also echoed similar sentiments.