17 April 2008 :

a Doha appeals court in Qatar acquitted an Egyptian man who was earlier sentenced to death by a first instance court, following his conviction of murdering a Chinese worker some 20 months ago. As a result of the new verdict issued at the end of last month, the upper court cancelled the QR150,000 blood money awarded to the kin of the victim by the primary court given on May 31, 2006. Lie Peng, 22, was killed in a fire in a building located in the Musherib area, near the Jaidah tower on August 9, 2004. The Public Prosecution has already appealed to the Supreme Court of Justice against the acquittal. It accused the 48 year old Egyptian of setting the fire “as he failed to pay the Chinese couple $25,000 against goods delivered to him.” The victim was the brother of the wife of the couple.
The defendant’s lawyer, Rashid Raja al-Marri, told Gulf Times that he submitted many evidences proving the innocence of his client and the court fully agreed with them.