After the Cassation Court headed by Judge Joseph Samaha in January 2017 reversed an appeal filed by victim Rola Yaacoub’s husband accused of killing her five years ago and referred him to the North Criminal Court for causing her death (https://bit.ly/2QId2kv), the final verdict was issued yesterday acquitting the accused, her husband, Karam Bazi. Two judges, Khaled Akkari and Ziad Dawalibi, and due to insufficient evidence, sustained that Yaacoub, who was killed in front of her daughters, died naturally, ordering the immediate release of the culprit. The ruling also stated that the plaintiff waive his personal right and demands in line with the acquittal verdict, and pays all the court fees involved. On the other hand, the head of the court, Dani Chibli, opposed the acquittal which was based on a majority vote, confirming that the husband inflicted fatal injuries on his wife. He based his statement on the testimony of a woman who came to the victim’s house on the night of the murder and talked in private to the victim’s daughter who told her that her father has threatened them and beaten her mother to death. He also mentioned the testimony of a neighbor who said he heard screaming coming from the victim’s house before the incident. For his part, the victim family’s attorney, Raymond Yaacoub, said the prosecution department can appeal the verdict within two months from the date of its issuance, pointing out that the facts on which the final decision was based were inequitable, where the facts that condemn the husband were sidelined. The attorney said he regretted that the court relied on the daughters’ statements that their father did not beat their mother. He said he believed the testimony of the two girls came contrary to what they said on the day of the murder. Commenting on the ruling, Kafa organization announced that the case is not closed, and “we will appeal, hoping the trial will be fair and just.” (Al Akhbar, An Nahar, Al Mustaqbal, November 1, 2018)