Cook killed maid after love affair, police say

ABU DHABI // A male cook killed a maid and burnt her body after she claimed she was having his baby, police said yesterday. The cook, AK, 39, attacked the woman, identified as ZRR, a 35-year-old Asian, the day before Christmas. Police said the man was quickly arrested and confessed to killing the maid the day before Christmas.

AK said he started a relationship with the woman after catching glimpses of her throwing out the rubbish. "It was easy for him to enter her room because the family that employed her were outside the country," said Maj Jumaa al Kaabi, the head of the murder section at Abu Dhabi CID. The suspect said he killed her because she insisted she was pregnant by him, but he denied having intercourse with her, according to police.

"When she insisted on her claims, he hit her twice on her head with a stone that he found in her bathroom," Maj al Kaabi said. "She fell on the bed, and he set her on fire using tissues he spread on different parts of her body." He said that AK then went to a neighbouring house, where he was employed. He was arrested after his employer provided police with information about him. Maj al Kaabi said that a quick forensic science response helped to generate leads.

"Once the crime was reported, a team was formed from the CID for investigating and inspecting the body, collecting evidence and drawing a map of the crime scene, preserving the tools used in the crime and questioning the witnesses." hhassan@thenational.ae

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