The Kozhikode native in a Saudi jail will be released after legal formalities

The 20-year jail term of Abdul Rahim, a native of Kodampuzha near Feroke in Kozhikode, who was lodged in a jail in Saudi Arabia, will end on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at midnight.

Mr. Rahim was imprisoned and sentenced to death in 2006 for the murder of his employer’s 14-year-old, disabled son. Although he claimed it was an accident, Mr Rahim’s employer’s arguments carried more legal weight.

A breakthrough in the case came when the Malay diaspora managed to collect ₹35 crore, the blood money demanded by the victim’s family, in May 2024. The victim’s family later agreed to overturn the death sentence after receiving the money. A Saudi court overturned the death sentence in July 2024.

However, the Riyadh Criminal Court sentenced him to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment under the Public Rights Act in May 2025. That deadline is now over.

His family members said Mr Rahim was expected to be released soon after further legal formalities were completed.

Published – 19 May 2026 23:07 IST