Filipinos raise ‘blood money’ to free long serving prisoner in Kuwait
A group of Filipinos has reportedly raised the $26,000 in ‘blood money’ needed to free one of its longest serving citizens in a Kuwaiti jail. Joseph Urbiztondo, 45, was sentenced to life in jail in 1996 for accidentally killing his Bangladeshi co-worker, Azizur Rahman. The victim’s family eventually agreed on the amount of blood money – a common payment made to the families of murder victims as compensation in return for freedom – but Urbiztondo’s family could not raise the money, Kuwait Times said.
The Filipino government also was reluctant to pay up. The Filipino community in both Kuwait and at home rallied together and it took more than a decade to raise the required amount. It is planned to be delivered to Rahman’s family via the Philippine Embassy in Dhaka in Bangladesh, Kuwait Times said.
The turnover ceremony would include the signing of a letter of foregiveness. Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Renato Pedro Villa said he was proud of the Filipinos’ efforts for their compatriot. He said he expected Urbiztondo to be freed from jail within weeks.
Source : ArabBusiness
Kuwait News
- Events in Kuwait
- Cabinet Ministers announces a two-week vacation
- Kuwait has suspended all commercial flights
- Coronavirus Test for Expats in Kuwait
- Worldwide Coronavirus cases as of 10.03.2020
- Flights suspension plans in Kuwait
- Visitors to quarantine, list of countries as of 08.03.2020
- Ethiopian maid arrested, Ghanaian maid at large as 8 children who perished in fire laid to rest
- New test devices to check virus at Kuwait Airport
- Passengers from the following countries must stay at home in Kuwait
- Hundred of Expats throng to Sabhan Health Center
- Fatima Rahbar died due to coronavirus
- Kuwait announces new infection cases
- Kuwait decides to stop flights of 7 countries
- Worldwide Coronavirus cases and recovered as of 06.03.2020
- Emergency meeting called regarding screening of expats
- No need for coronavirus free certification
- Worldwide Coronavirus cases and recovered as of 02.03.2020
- Companies must provide masks and gloves
- Iris scanners replace fingerprint machines at the airport
- Bangladeshi admit to killed a Kuwaiti by stabbing

Filed in: All • Expats in Kuwait • Local News • News