Man convicted of killing wife in front of children – VG

Ahmad Chaik Mousa Hasan (35) has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for stabbing his wife 40 times with an ax and knives. The children witnessed the murder and tried to stop the father.

It appears in the judgment from the Borgarting Court of Appeal. The murder took place in the family’s home on Christmas Eve 2018. He also injured his six-year-old son and was found guilty of gross abuse of the children.

The 35-year-old has also been convicted of negligent murder of his 19-week-old son the year before, in February 2017. According to the verdict, the father left him alone in a water tub so that the boy drowned.

Background: Man charged with murder of his wife in Sarpsborg

The Court of Appeal finds it clear that the murder of his wife was carried out under particularly aggravating circumstances. In the verdict, the court points out, among other things, that she was assaulted and killed in her own home – and subjected to massive violence, without the opportunity to defend herself.

“The accused picked up knives in several places and went out and fetched an ax in the outhouse before the violence continued. The murder took place over time, which supports the accused’s strong intent and lack of respect for human life “, it is stated in the verdict.

The verdict: Showed the deceased over a video call

The Court of Appeal also points out in the judgment that the extensive extent of the damage and the children’s description of the mother’s scream, gives a clear picture of the significant pain and fear she must have felt.

According to the verdict, the children were present at all times, and also tried to prevent the father from committing the murder. The court finds it aggravating that Chaik Mousa Hasan deprived the children of their mother and caregiver.

“The children were also with the father in the house for about two hours before the police arrived, and the father forced them to enter the room where the mother was lying on the floor with a lot of blood,” the verdict states.

According to the verdict, the father also sent a message after the murder to a family member, in which he wrote that he had killed his wife. In addition, he showed off his killed wife in a video call.

– It is not going very well with him, he took it quite hard, says defender Tarik Abbou to VG on Monday afternoon, after talking to his client about the verdict.

They disagree with the Court of Appeal’s assessment of the question of sanity. The court unanimously concluded that the defendant was sane and criminally liable.

– We believe that there is sufficient doubt, says the defender, who warns that they will appeal the verdict “as it looks now”.

Agreed that he was sane

The verdict was handed down on December 4. Chaik Mousa Hasan was sentenced to pay half a million kroner in reparation to each of the children in addition to compensation for loss of breadwinner.

The parents of the deceased received NOK 200,000 each in restitution.

The central question was whether the 35-year-old was sane when he committed the murder. At this point, there was dissent in Sarpsborg District Court when the case was heard there. The court-appointed experts also disagreed in the district court whether Chaik Mousa Hasan was psychotic at the time of the action.

The Court of Appeal unanimously concluded that he was sane and criminally liable.

The experts were the same during the appeal hearing, but one couple changed their position so that all the experts on slightly different terms agreed that the accused was not psychotic.