Just last week a Sri Lankan nanny and house cleaner was sentenced to death for the alleged murder of a Saudi baby she was caring for. The nanny/house cleaner, Rizana Nafeek, spoke Tamil Kannadiga not Arabic. Nevertheless, it was discovered the interpreter, Karim Mawiya Cade Mohammed, who translated Nafeek's statements at trial did not ethnically speak Tamil Kannadiga.
Nafeek's attorney, Kateb Al-Shammary, informed the court he wanted to know whether Mohammed was proficient enough to interpret Nafeek's police and court statements using Tamil. The court retrieved two witnesses who vouched for Mohammed's integrity and honesty, along with his ability to translate from Tamil.
Mohammed stated, "I come to courts on request for translation purposes and I am paid SR100 per case." He also indicated he knew Tamil, which is widely spoken in India and Sri Lanka.
The dead child's family argues that Nafeek premeditated their child's murder. In addition, on the day the baby died, Nafeek was taken to a police station in Dawadmi, where police claim she signed a murder confession. The Supreme Judicial Council will hear the case and determine whether Mohammed was proficient in Tamil and whether Nafeek is entitled to a new trial if the translation during her original trial was deficient.
02 September 2008
