KUWAIT CITY, July 26:  Mohammed Ali Ampatuan — the uncle of a Filipina murdered at a salon in Jabriya last week — has vehemently denied allegations that his niece’s Egyptian husband went into a mad frenzy and killed her after discovering her affair with one of his friends.

Norhaisa Nasa Andaw, a 32-year-old Filipina salon worker, died after her husband allegedly stabbed her 31 times last week, in front of some clients and her colleagues, including her sister.

Commenting on a news report in which the suspect’s lawyer portrayed his client as the ‘real’ victim in the case, Ampatuan lamented, “My niece was a decent person who often went out of her way to help others. Her employer and co-workers can vouch for her good character.  It pains me to hear that she is being painted as a harlot by the man she once loved devoutly.”

Stressing there is not a grain of truth in the suspect’s claim that his wife was unfaithful, Ampatuan pointed out, “They cook up whatever they can, thinking of ways to demean and impugn my niece to justify the suspect’s horrible deed.” He said his niece had always confided in him, telling him the problems she has had with her husband who, according to her, beat her every time they had heated arguments. He revealed the beating had been going on for over a year, and then his niece also told him about her decision to report the incident to police and file for divorce later.

“I asked her to think about her children’s welfare first before taking any drastic action,” disclosed Ampatuan.  His niece is said to have threatened to file a case against her husband after another beating episode.  The husband and his family visited Ampatuan in his house and they settled the matter amicably, with the husband promising not to lay a hand on his niece again.
However, the beatings started all over again after some time, so Norhaisa filed a complaint of maltreatment and physical abuse against her husband, who reportedly went into hiding after finding out his wife’s decision.  Ampatuan stated his niece also left her family’s house and stayed at the company accommodation as she was afraid of what her husband might do to her.

According to Ampatuan, four days before the murder of his niece, the suspect allegedly went to his house and asked him to convince his niece to withdraw the complaint against him.  He said the suspect also warned him on the dire consequences in case he fails to intercede between him and his wife.
Two days before the incident, Ampatuan received a call from his niece, laughingly informing him that her husband asked her to withdraw the complaint, or else, he would kill her. “She probably thought it was just an empty threat, so she did not take it seriously,” he added.
Ampatuan disclosed the suspect was working as a ‘haris’ (building watchman) when he first met Norhaisa. He later worked as a delivery driver for a local franchise of an international food chain, but he has been out of work for two years.

Norhaisa reportedly took six months salary advance from her employer to legalize the residence status of her husband.  Ampatuan asserted the authorities can verify this with his niece’s employer, who has been cooperating with the investigators to quickly resolve the case.

Ampatuan said they have started taking the necessary procedures for the repatriation of his niece’s remains.  He affirmed Norhaisa’s remains will be repatriated right after obtaining a clearance from the chief prosecutor.

“I was beside myself with anger, sorrow and grief after finding out the brutal killing of my niece.  Since there is nothing I can do about it, I will leave everything to the Kuwaiti courts to give justice to my niece’s death,” Ampatuan concluded.